Today we’d like to introduce you to Minori Groene
Hi Minori, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
PILT, a 501c(3) organization comprised of K–12 students working to end homelessness, was first established by a group of sophomores in San Diego County. The founder, Brayden Pape, was a student at Helix Charter High School and a volunteer at PATH — an organization that provides many resources to people experiencing homelessness, including housing facilities — when he noticed the shortage in hygiene products for people experiencing homelessness. Brayden had the idea to create a team of students passionate about helping people facing house and food insecurity. He was joined by Camila, Kiara, and Lauren and assisted by Sigrid Struben, Associate Director of Philanthropy and Community Affairs at PATH. In 2022, Kelly and Lilia joined, followed by Lana, Sophie, and I. Thereafter, our youngest member, Josephine, from Albert Einstein Academy Charter Elementary School, became involved with drives and awareness raising through presentations to her peers. I began growing our team at Albert Einstein Academies Charter Middle School to eleven new members. We became a California unincorporated nonprofit association in February 2023, an organization powered by the motto “Community – Collaboration – Compassion.”
In July of 2024, after the graduation of the original team at PILT, Brayden passed on the position of CEO to me. With most of the members in PILT’s new team moving on to high school, PILT’s list of partner schools and members grew. At San Diego High School, Aya, Nicolo, Margaret, Esli, and I founded Community Outreach Club — a club that provides an on-campus way for students to help people experiencing homelessness. Arturo became team lead at AEACMS, including Eden, Emeli, and Keila to his team, who together do sales and creative projects to encourage their peers to engage in their community.
Today, we focus on raising awareness and providing items for organizations like PATH, StandUp for Kids, and Sharia’s Closet, along with supporting programs like YMCA TAY and YMCA HOY that all share the same mission as ours. PILT has been and always will be a group of diverse students united by their eagerness to help those in need.
My friend Lilia first introduced me to PILT through a recommendation. She knew I was passionate about community service and approved of my work ethic. I started off getting to know the team and began hosting drives, sales, and setting up a GoFundMe. PILT started as a fascination but soon became a big part of my life and identity. I am forever grateful to Lilia for this wonderful opportunity; an opportunity that has led me to meet such inspiring people, have the most fantastic experiences, and see the hard truth — homelessness is nearly everywhere, and finding a solution to this problem seems impossible. But through PILT and Community Outreach Club, I have learned that every thoughtful act can go a long way. Me, my teammates, every volunteer, and every advocate working for this dream of ours, we have come to understand that with hard work, support, and hope, anything can be done, including getting a roof over your head.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think that being a teen and not just wanting, but seriously planning to make a difference already throws some obstacles your way. There are many people with dreams but there are few who have the resources and the will to work towards it, and sometimes, it can be difficult to be taken seriously. Especially, when the people interested in your plans and who have the resources to set them in motion can’t believe that students in elementary, middle, and high school are part of an unincorporated nonprofit association and are changing lives.
There were other struggles as well, such as setting up a bank account, finding businesses that offer discounts or assistance to nonprofit organizations, and finding a way to balance school, extracurriculars, and community service. I have a lot of things going on after school apart from PILT and Community Outreach Club. I play piano, play tennis, tutor, learn Japanese, and practice my German; I also adore my free time spent writing, reading, and spending time with friends and family. Hence, it can be pretty difficult to find the time to do everything that I enjoy doing. The same goes for all members of PILT, who are all involved.
However, the main issue is the amount of homelessness in San Diego and the biggest challenge is finding a way to make a big positive impact.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am 15 years old and a freshman at San Diego High School. Since I don’t have a working permit, I have only done German summer camp counseling and math tutoring. Nevertheless, PILT is like a dream job where I can enjoy working together with friends and other influential people, and together make a difference in our community. For jobs in the future, I would like to do something to positively impact our world. Whether it’s in science, sharing stories, community service, or advocacy I’m not sure, but I’d like to try out different things to find what I’d enjoy the most and do what I love to do every day.
I believe that I am most proud of my resilience. I am dedicated to what I do, and I’m always giving my best, whether it’s in community service, academics, music, or sports. I think my determination and willingness to put the time and effort into things is what sets me apart from others. There are a lot of things that can be changed within our society and I believe that there are so many community members of ours who need to be uplifted. I want to be the person lending their hand.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
2021 and 2022 were definitely some difficult years, and I don’t think it was difficult just for me. The COVID-19 crisis affected everyone. I mean, we were all locked in our homes and secluded from our friends and family. During that time, I was unable to travel to visit family in Germany and Japan, didn’t have contact with some of my friends, and was constantly worried that someone I cared about would get sick. As a result of the pandemic, I learned the importance of gratitude. It’s essential to be grateful for everything you have, for all the experiences you’ve had, and for all the loving people around you. The crisis proved that our lives could be flipped upside down, just like homelessness can suddenly happen to a person when they lose their job. I’m so lucky to be able to have a roof above my head, to have people who care about my well-being, and to have resources at hand when I need help. Not everyone is as lucky as I am. Thus, I see the importance of helping others less fortunate than I and enjoying every moment, and taking each of life’s lessons to heart.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pilt4path.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pilt_pathyouth/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PILT4PATH/
- Twitter: https://www.x.com/pilt4p
- Other: https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-pilt-to-end-homelessness
