Freshman is nonprofit’s first recipient of President’s Volunteer Service Award
Arshia Zaidi turned her free time during COVID-19 quarantines into good deeds. Arshia, 14, of Franklin Park, completed 104.5 volunteer hours in six months, and is the first volunteer for North Hills Community Outreach to receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award.
“I am absolutely honored to receive the Presidential Service Award. NHCO is an incredible organization and through volunteering with them, I’ve gotten the opportunity to learn so many new things and meet some amazing people. I look forward to continuing to help the community in any way I can,” Arshia said.
The President’s Volunteer Service Award was established in an executive order by President George W. Bush in 2003 to honor volunteers of all ages. Arshia received a gold award in the teen category, which is for more than 100 hours of volunteer service in 12 months by someone between the ages of 11 and 15.
Arshia was the first volunteer to approach NHCO about the national award, and the agency had to apply and take a test to be certified as an approved nonprofit, said Harriet Klatte, volunteer coordinator for NHCO.
Because Arshia is younger than 16, a parent had to be with her during the times she volunteered, Ms. Klatte said. Sometimes, the entire family — father Saiyed, mother Saba and older sister Alina — worked together.
“At the volunteer level, they were a success story and endeared themselves to our organization,” Ms. Klatte said.
Arshia and at least one family member volunteered at the Rosalinda Sauro Sirianni Garden, picked up trash along Ingomar Road in North Park, raked leaves for a senior citizen, held a Thanksgiving collection and assisted at special events, such as manning the agency’s table at an event at McCandless Crossing.
“All of them were so fun,” Arshia said, but added that her favorite was the garden.
“I learned so much about gardening,” she said. “You could see the impact it had in the community. We would have buckets and buckets of fresh produce to give to the food pantry.”
The reception they received while volunteering made her want to continue, she said.
“We were picking up trash along North Park. The way people would thank you, it really encouraged me to help out,” she said.
She said she was surprised by what they found in
North Park besides trash.
“We came across a bunch of money, a few $20 bills,” she said. “We donated that to NHCO.”
She also sat with her dad outside of Giant Eagle with a kettle for the Salvation Army and was amazed by “the amount of people who would just stop and talk to us,” she said. “Someone asked if they could buy me something from inside. It was amazing to see the kindness in people.”
Ms. Klatte said that Arshia and her dad “put in a lot of hours” at the kettle. “I always worry about the volunteers because they have to stand outside and, sometimes, the weather conditions aren’t that great,” she said. “Sometimes, when they see people standing out there in the weather, they make larger donations.”
Arshia, a freshman at North Allegheny Intermediate High School, is involved in the school’s speech and debate club, DECA and Health Occupations Students of America. She also rows with Three Rivers Rowing.
She said she is leaning toward a career in medicine. “I am interested in biology and helping others.”
Winning the President’s Volunteer Service Award will only help her in her future endeavors, Ms. Klatte said.
“It’s certainly a nice thing to put on the resume and the college applications. It can only help, not only the volunteer but us as well. It lends to our credibility a lot,” she said, adding that the agency will apply every year to be an approved agency with the program as, last year, they had more than 300 youth volunteers.