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| Carrying on a Charitable Tradition September 2008
Growing up, Nazanin Eshragh would often go to the store, buy bags of rice, and leave them behind with the grocer, upon her father's instruction. "I found that so confusing," she recalls. Nazanin, a multi-discipline systems engineer at MITRE, only recently discovered that her trips to the store were helping people in need. "My aunt told me that my father was involved in a lot of 'undercover' charity work," Eshragh says jokingly. "He would frequently buy groceries and tell the clerk to save the packages for someone to pick up later. He would then tell a less fortunate friend or a newly befriended stranger that they were entered into a neighborhood lottery and won a week's worth of groceries at the local Persian market." These stories were comforting for Eshragh, who lost her father to Alzheimer's disease in early 2008. This common, incurable form of dementia destroys brain cells and causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. Her father's symptoms started like countless cases—with memory loss and confusion. Since his diagnosis 10 years ago, Eshragh has become an avid volunteer for the Alzheimer's Association and a variety of other charitable organizations. Raising Funds and Hopes As Eshragh began learning about the disease, she wanted to increase awareness for Alzheimer's sufferers and their families. She wasn't sure how, but she found an answer in an ad for the Alzheimer's Association's annual Memory Walk. In the fall of 2007, she and several friends joined hundreds of participants in the walk around the National Mall in Washington, D.C. "There were so many people, but the cold and dreary day didn't slow anybody down. It actually seemed to motivate us more," Eshragh recalls. She and her friends raised nearly $2,000. "I had never been involved in something like that, and since my dad had Alzheimer's, I thought it was a perfect thing to do," she says. "I also wanted to do a fundraiser." Despite her lack of fundraising experience, she took on the challenge with the help of her friends and the Alzheimer's Association's volunteer outreach leader. Motivation from the Memory Walk led to other fundraising efforts, including the organization's Date and Silent Auction event, where participants bid for tickets to sporting events and the theater, gift certificates, or a "date." Eshragh and her friends began researching, planning, and recruiting "dates" for the event. Their goal was to raise $6,000 for Alzheimer's research. The group spent many hours cold-calling local businesses for donations and recruiting friends to volunteer for the date auction. Their passion and hard work paid off. The event raised more than $12,000. "It was amazing!" Eshragh exclaims. In addition to the event, Eshragh, friends, and co-workers adopted three families during the holidays through Our Daily Bread, a volunteer-based organization that helps low-income families in Fairfax, Virginia. They bought each family groceries and presents for the children. Eshragh kept her father informed about her charitable activities. "He liked to hear about what we were doing, although I don't think he understood much of it. Alzheimer's is a peculiar disease," she says. "It's not just about the memory; there's a lot that goes on with your health, too." Giving Back Today, Eshragh continues to volunteer for the Alzheimer's Association and on behalf of low-income families. "In our culture, on the third, seventh, fortieth day, and one year anniversary of someone's death, we come together for a celebration or remembrance gathering," explains Eshragh. "For my father's remembrance, we decided to take the money that would be spent on a gathering and use it for the needy." On the fortieth day remembrance, Eshragh and friends prepared more than 120 lunches for the Embry Rucker Community Shelter, a homeless shelter supported by Reston Interfaith, a non-profit organization that serves Northern Virginia. "I think my father would have been very happy," she says. "It's something he would have done in his healthier days." Eshragh intends to carry on her parents' philanthropic work. "I will definitely continue to participate in the Memory Walk and other fundraising events," she says. "It's a nice feeling to know that you're helping others. As you get older, you appreciate these efforts even more!" —by Elvira Caruso Page last updated: September 10, 2008 | Top of page |
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