At Perficient, we’re driven by a shared passion for philanthropy and continuously give our time and effort to inspire change in our global communities. Through the Perficient Gives Global Grants Program, colleagues from across our global offices can nominate their favorite charitable organizations to receive a one-time $5,000 donation from Perficient. To qualify for the program, all nominations must align with Perficient’s corporate giving pillars: advancing STEM education and improving health and well-being.
We’re proud to celebrate the Akshaya Patra Foundation and Breakthrough T1D as the latest recipients of a Perficient Gives Global Grant! Several colleagues nominated Akshaya Patra Foundation for a global grant, including Rishi Jambunathan, senior technical consultant, Commerce, Raghuraman Ramdoss, director, Chennai, and Venkateswarlu Nandyala, lead technical consultant, Bangalore. Continue reading as they share more about the organization’s mission, and learn more about Breakthrough T1D from Connor Stieferman, senior marketing manager, Corporate Marketing, as he reflects on his personal experience with the organization.
Akshaya Patra Foundation
For millions of children in India, hunger is a daily obstacle that stands between them and their education. The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an organization based in Bangalore, India, that provides nutritious meals to underprivileged children and empowers them to learn and grow. Perficient’s donation will help the foundation combat childhood hunger by providing healthy school lunches for children in India.
Nominated by Rishi, Raghuraman, and Venkateswarlu, the Akshaya Patra Foundation aims to counter malnutrition and ensure that no child in India is deprived of education because of hunger. Since its inception, the Akshaya Patra Foundation has benefitted more than 2 million children and served more than 4 billion meals to those in need. The foundation does not just provide substantial nourishment, it empowers minds. By ensuring no child learns on an empty stomach, the Akshaya Patra Foundation is shattering the poverty cycle by providing students in India with the resources they need for success.
“I was so happy to hear that the Akshaya Patra Foundation was able to achieve 4 billion meals in 2024. I personally believe the only way to alleviate poverty is through literacy and nutritional development of children. I nominated the Akshaya Patra Foundation for a Perficient Global Grant because it aligned with Perficient’s core value of lifting others through impactful change.”
– Raghuraman Ramdoss, Director, Chennai
Fighting Food Insecurity in India
No child should choose between food and education. Through the Perficient Gives Global Grants Program, our donation will support the Akshaya Patra Foundation’s efforts to bring hope to children without access to healthy food. The organization strives to address classroom hunger and malnutrition for children across India by implementing several programs, including the PM POSHAN (Mid-Day Meal) Programme, that provide nutritious meals for children studying in government and government-aided schools.
“I nominated the Akshaya Patra Foundation for a Perficient Global Grant because I believe that their impact and the problem that they are solving is very important. Particularly how they are helping children in the classroom as a subset of the overall hunger crisis in India.”
– Rishi Jambunathan, Senior Technical Consultant, Commerce
Together, we’re making a difference in the fight against food insecurity and ensuring that all children have access to the nourishment they need to achieve their dreams. There are many opportunities to get involved with the Akshaya Patra Foundation, including:
- Participating in online volunteering
- Inspiring change with online fundraising
- Raising awareness through social media and blogging
“This Global Grant will spread joy and happiness among needy children and could help brighten their future,” said Venkateswarlu. “I can imagine the smiling faces of the children while receiving their food. If a hot, nutritious mid-day meal serves as an incentive for children to come to school, then it is important that we concentrate on extending this initiative across India, especially in rural areas. I’m happy to be indirectly part of their mission.”
Read More: Perficient Donates 11,000+ Pounds of Food and 46,000+ Meals During Hunger Action Month
Breakthrough T1D
Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune disease that prevents the pancreas from creating insulin, which is essential for turning food and blood sugars into energy. With more than 9.4 million people living with type 1 diabetes around the world, finding a cure and reducing the disease’s impact has never been more important. Breakthrough T1D is a research and advocacy organization that funds research for the development of new therapies and treatments of type 1 diabetes.
Founded in 1970 by families with a type 1 diabetes diagnosis, Breakthrough T1D is opening doors by connecting the brightest minds to advance treatments, influence policies, and improve access to treatments and care. Breakthrough T1D ensures that no one facing type 1 diabetes does so alone. As the spouse to someone with type 1 diabetes, Perficient colleague Connor Stieferman, knows the influence of Breakthrough T1D’s work firsthand.
“I’ve always been aware of the existence of type 1 diabetes, but I learned a lot more about it 10 years ago when I started dating my wife, Elise,” said Connor Stieferman, senior marketing manager, Corporate Marketing. “Elise was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was seven years old. She was sick and was hospitalized. Her doctors did not know what was wrong until they started testing her blood sugar and were able to diagnose her as a type 1 diabetic. She is now a thriving adult, a professional, a wife, and a mother.”
Shattering Boundaries Through Type 1 Diabetes Research
What causes type 1 diabetes isn’t currently known, but it’s believed to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Researchers believe that the autoimmune disorder begins when the body mistakenly destroys insulin producing cells in the pancreas. There is currently no cure for the disease, but scientists are conducting extensive research to understand how to:
- Restore or replace insulin production
- Turn off the autoimmune attack responsible for destroying beta cells
“While the exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown, what doesn’t cause it is eating too much or eating too much sugar. Elise’s pancreas didn’t shut down because she ate too much candy as a kid. That’s just not how type 1 diabetes works,” said Connor. “People living with type 1 diabetes can eat any and everything they want; they just have a little more maintenance that goes along with that. Since they don’t have an insulin-producing pancreas, people with type 1 need to manually administer an appropriate dosage of insulin to counterbalance the blood sugar increase caused by the food they eat.”
Carefully monitoring blood sugar levels and taking insulin by injection or a handheld pump is key for those living with type 1 diabetes. Breakthrough T1D has been influential in lowering the cost of insulin, and the organization is actively accelerating innovation focused on screening, disease-modifying therapies, and cell therapies.
Thanks to the Perficient Gives Global Grants Program, our donation will break barriers and provide funding for groundbreaking research to enable all people with type 1 diabetes to better manage their symptoms.
“Perficient is committed to improving the health and well-being of its communities, and this donation to Breakthrough T1D is a great example of that commitment in action. As someone who knows and loves somebody with type 1 diabetes, I know that this donation will make a difference.”
– Connor Stieferman, Senior Marketing Manager, Corporate Marketing
Our Commitment to Creating Brighter Futures
Perficient and our colleagues are strengthening our global communities, improving the lives of others, and spreading acts of kindness. We’re committed to fostering a culture that inspires everyone to make a difference, no matter how large or small. By supporting organizations like the Akshaya Patra Foundation and Breakthrough T1D, we’re igniting lasting, positive change around the world. Whether it’s a child in India having lunch at school or loved one with type 1 diabetes finding support, we can drive change and bring comfort to those who need it the most.
The Perficient Gives Global Grants Program is a unique opportunity for our colleagues to nominate charities that are meaningful to them to receive a global grant. Since launching the program, we have selected 10 charities to each receive $5,000 – for a total of $50,000 donated. Stay tuned for future announcements about the program and read the Life at Perficient blog to discover how our colleagues are paying it forward.
