Our Bureau
Bergen County, NJ
A simple idea to help local food pantries has grown into an ongoing community service effort for River Dell High School senior Avish Dhariwal.
Since January, Avish has organized three Eco Bag Drives, collecting reusable grocery bags and distributing them to the Center for Food Action (CFA) and other local food pantries. The bags provide pantry shoppers with a convenient way to carry their groceries while also keeping hundreds of plastic bags out of landfills.
The initiative began with the United We Serve Bergen week-long community service program led by Bergen County Commissioner Tracy Zur. Avish’s project was showcased at the program’s kickoff at Bergen County Technical Schools, where hundreds of volunteers gathered for community service. Assemblywoman Lisa Swain and Assemblyman Chris Tully also commended Avish for his efforts.
Inspired by the response to the project, Avish continued the effort in the spring through a partnership with BINDIA (Bergen India). With the support of volunteers and mentors, the drive collected 2,480 reusable bags, representing more than 75 hours of volunteer service.
Avish worked with Councilwoman and BINDIA Founder Priti Dhariwal and BINDIA Co-Founder Aditya Singh, establishing collection and drop-off locations across four Bergen County communities. Their efforts helped bring residents together around both environmental sustainability and support for families who rely on local food pantries.
CFA recognized the initiative as a meaningful community give-back project, further encouraging Avish to continue the effort throughout the year. His next Eco Bag Drive is planned for the fall.
“Service to others is the rent we pay on Earth,” said Avish, whose project reflects a commitment to making community service part of everyday life.
“This is a wonderful example of how youth leadership can bring together environmental responsibility and service to families in our community,” said Councilwoman Priti Dhariwal. “We are proud of Avish and grateful to all the volunteers, BINDIA, United We Serve Bergen and CFA for helping turn this idea into an ongoing community effort.”
What started as a single volunteer project has now become a year-round initiative, demonstrating how a small act of service can create a broader and lasting impact.