6 Teams to Pitch Their Social Impact Ideas at Do Good Challenge

Black People Die By Suicide Too provides peer-led mental health education and suicide prevention programming for Black communities. The organization, cofounded and led by Department of Communication graduate student T-Kea Blackman, works to normalize conversations about suicide, reduce stigma and increase access to culturally responsive support. The organization has been able to raise over $150,000 and has reached more than 5,000 individuals in Maryland and over 15,000 globally through in-person programs, virtual workshops and digital engagement.

New Generation Myanmar restores safe, high-quality education for students in the Southeast Asian nation affected by ongoing civil war and school closures. Led by Robert H. Smith School of Business students Aung Khant Pyae ‘26 and David Lebedco ‘26, the organization operates a virtual K-12 school that delivers bilingual instruction, digital literacy and GED preparation. It currently serves over 1,500 students, has educated more than 3,400, and has awarded more than 1,000 scholarships. The school employs more than 100 educators who have contributed more than 31,000 hours of teaching directly to students. 

Nurture Natives, founded and led by Esther Bonney ‘29, an environmental science and policy major and Do Good Accelerator fellow, empowers youth through native biodiversity restoration. Through hands-on lessons, school partnerships and youth-led events, Nurture Natives has educated over 10,300 youth and reached 380,000-plus community members across Maryland and the East Coast. Students have planted more than 2.4 million native seeds, grown and distributed 70,500 seedlings and 650 trees/shrubs, and restored approximately 420 acres of habitat. Through community partnerships, the Nurture Natives team has also distributed over $36,000 worth of native plants and co-authored “Nurture Natives: A Guide to Invasive Species and Their Native Look-Alikes.”

The American Diversity Group Free Clinic is a student-led, physician-supervised community health initiative providing free, comprehensive primary care services to uninsured and underinsured Maryland residents. UMD students actively conduct diagnostic screenings, serve as medical assistants and scribes, develop and present health education curriculum, and lead mental health outreach initiatives. Students have been able to serve over 7,000 patients at over 350 free clinics, providing over $1.3 million in medical care. Director of Clinical Training Yash Porwal ‘26, a Do Good Accelerator fellow, and Director of Outreach and Operations Anik Saha ’25, both biological sciences majors, will make the initiative’s pitch at the Challenge.

Hack4Impact UMD empowers students to use technology for social good by partnering with nonprofit organizations to build free, impactful software solutions. Led by Do Good Mini Grant recipients and computer science majors Krishnan Inban Tholkappian ’26 and Aaryan Patel ’25, M.S. ’26, Terps have put in over 100,000 hours to complete 31 projects addressing issues ranging from literacy improvement to food insecurity. These projects have reached over 40,000 nonprofit beneficiaries, while the team has raised over $60,000 to support their growth. 

Remote Area Medical UMD expands access to free health care for underserved communities while preparing university students to serve with compassion, skill and purpose. The organization helps students host clinics, where they support the delivery of no-cost medical, dental and vision care. Through participation in more than 30 regional clinics, Terp volunteers have supported more than 64,000 patients and delivered medical, dental, and vision services valued at over $7.5 million. It’s led by biological sciences major and Do Good Accelerator Fellow Aryaan Duggal ‘26, neuroscience major Malini Raghu ’26 and public health science major Saili Khorjekar ’26.