The Shah Family Foundation was founded in 1995 in Piqua, Ohio by several members of the Shah Family. The family was united by their common goals to support charitable causes and organizations. The Shah Family Foundation is one of SAALT’s generous donors, and has assisted the organization in meeting our mission to increase civic engagement by South Asians in the community. We recently spoke with the Manager of the Shah Family Foundation, Soha Shah, to find out why her family members created the foundation, and what inspires them to give back through philanthropy.

Why did your family start a Foundation?
In 1995, our family decided to work with the Dholka Education Society to open a science college in our hometown, Dholka in the state of Gujarat in India. This was the initial impetus to create a family foundation. We established broad goals for our foundation to support charitable, religious, scientific, literary or educational activities either directly or through organizations carrying out such activities. We understood that the project of supporting a science college would only be the beginning of the kinds of efforts that our family and friends would want to support in the coming years.

Who is involved with the Foundation?
There are three trustees and one manager. But the foundation is supported by nearly every member of the extended family. The trustees are Damaroo J. Shah, Mayank J. Shah, and Sona N. Pancholy. Soha Shah manages the foundation. We accept donations from family and friends who support our objectives.

What drew the Shah Family Foundation to donate to SAALT?
Over the past several years the Shah Family Foundation has supported organizations in the United States and abroad who are working to improve the community - this is not restricted to the South Asian community, as we have supported the Red Cross, the Piqua Education Foundation and others. Our goal is to support projects or organizations that are serving unique and important needs. SAALT met these criteria because of its commitment to fostering leadership and civic participation by and for South Asians in this country. We believe the important mission that SAALT serves is critical to the future of local communities where South Asians make their home and families every day in this country.

Do you have any advice for people who want to start a family foundation?
If your family decides to use the vehicle of a family foundation, we would advise that you identify your own family values, which will help in terms of targeting projects that resonate with those values. For us, this has meant that family members take a personal interest in the work of the foundation; we have not just hired a third-party manager and a bank to invest our funds. Rather we strive to be personally involved in the projects we select. Members of our family are actively involved with most of the organizations we have supported through the foundation - in some cases we volunteer our time to these organizations, and in other cases, we take the time to personally visit the projects that we have supported. This personal connection increases our commitment beyond just the monetary level, and ensures that our Foundation remains as relevant and unique as the projects we support.

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