Meet Minori Groene

We recently connected with Minori Groene and have shared our conversation below.

Minori, so great to have you sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our readers and so let’s jump right into one of our favorite topics – empathy. We think a lack of empathy is at the heart of so many issues the world is struggling with and so our hope is to contribute to an environment that fosters the development of empathy. Along those lines, we’d love to hear your thoughts around where your empathy comes from?

Our environment determines our character and lifestyle. Growing up in a family that encourages awareness and attending a school that discusses issues within our community has allowed me to determine problems that must be addressed. Living in San Diego and attending a school in Downtown has made me recognize a major issue — homelessness. The visible hardships I’ve seen and the eager change-makers I have met allowed me to develop empathy. It started with meeting Brayden and joining PILT, a K–12 student-run organization that helps people experiencing homelessness, where I discovered a way to support my community and express empathy to my community members. With continued inspiration from fellow volunteers and leaders, I can’t help but want to do the same and give to others.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am CEO of a charity organization run entirely by students from Elementary to High School in San Diego. Our mission is to end homelessness. We are a California 501c3 Unincorporated Non-profit Association, partnered with other organizations with the same objective in mind, such as PATH, StandUp for Kids, Sharia’s Closet, and YMCA’s Transitional Age Youth and Housing Our Youth programs. We host projects at our schools to provide food, clothing, hygiene products, and other necessities for a variety of target groups. For example, veterans, youth, or people with pets experiencing homelessness. Through drives, sales, presentations, and partnerships with other schools and their clubs, we can widen our range of impact. This is why we focus on outreach and getting more students, schools, and clubs involved. I think the most exciting part about community service is to spark enthusiasm in my peers and to see the positivity that we can spread with our efforts. PILT has a uniqueness that lies in its very individual members and the unity through a shared purpose that proves that joining a charity organization can be an engaging and eye-opening experience. We are always looking to add members to our team and to partner with other like-minded organizations, businesses, schools, clubs, and programs.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I think the most impactful implements that I’ve gathered over my volunteering journey are a wide-expanse of knowledge, meaningful friendships, and life skills. Through PILT, I have had the chance to do a variety of projects where I’ve acquired communication and technological skills that will be useful throughout my career and academic endeavors. By attending services and events, I’ve had the chance to meet others who I’ve established long-lasting relationships with. I also better understand how to support my community because of Brayden and our PILT advisors.

For those who are new to community service, the best way to gather information and establish useful relationships is to become involved with like-minded people. The more resources one has, the more doors open.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

PILT is always looking to partner with individuals and groups looking to support our vulnerable neighbors. We would love to collaborate with anyone who wants to get involved, can offer support to our organization, or is looking to make a difference. To anyone interested, please contact us through our website www.pilt4path.org or on our Instagram @pilt_pathyouth, FaceBook @PILT4PATH, or X @PILT4P. We look forward to a strong partnership and the positive impacts we can make together in our community!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.pilt4path.org
• Instagram: @pilt_pathyouth
• Facebook: @PILT4PATH
• Twitter: @PILT4P
• Other: minori.groene@gmail.com