SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — At the age of 15, Arden Pala has already written a children's book, made a documentary film, and created a non-profit. So you fully understand why he may not have a lot of time to play video games or watch television. This week he gathered over 100 volunteers to help make and distribute bags full of food, school supplies, hygiene products, and small toys for the low-income and homeless students who attend Perkins Elementary.
"I started volunteering at a very young age," says Pala. "I think with that, I developed empathy that I use to host these types of events of giving back to the community."
I first met Pala two years ago in 2022 when was an 8th grader at Francis Parker Middle School. At that time, he had written the book and made the documentary.
"I wrote a book and made a documentary during the pandemic. The book was about a kid named Noah who discovered a flying car"
Now a sophomore at Francis Parker High School, Pala is also the founder of his non-profit Sports4Kids. His non-profit was recognized with a 10News Leadership Award in May of this year.
"We want to have volunteers and the youth empower the youth. It's all about giving back to the community. I know these kids are having a lot of fun and it is very rewarding knowing that I can make a difference."
This week I followed through with Pala as he organized his Christmas Bags of Hope event at Perkins Elementary.
"Each bag is filled with nonperishables, school supplies, hygiene kits, and toys," says
Pala.
It's his way of giving back to families and children in San Diego who may be dealing with homelessness.
Since he founded the Sports4Kids foundation, Pala has raised over 300 thousand dollars which has been used to help over 7,500 hundred youth in San Diego.
"I always get a funny feeling inside and it's nice when I feel like I am contributing something to society. Those stats are a reason and a way to measure our impact on society and it's awesome to know that me and my organization are having an impact on this school and other schools that we work with."
