Touch-A-Life grew out of an experience Tej Gundavelli, then a high school student, had when he learned that one of his school friends was homeless. Tej wanted to help his friend and discovered that the boy needed basic things such as sneakers for gym and other school supplies. Tej quickly realized that many other homeless students also needed specific help. That led him to start a local charity to support homeless students in the San Francisco area.

This has grown to the point that Tej and his parents, Sai and Veena Gundavelli, have expanded the original charity into the present Touch-A-Life, which seeks to help people in need, including homeless individuals, elderly people who are isolated from their families, and students. Unlike other charities, Touch-A-Life takes an individual approach, using the power of social media to link individuals in need with individuals who can help. This allows donors to know exactly where their donations are going and see the difference those donations make to the life of someone in need.

Touch-A-Life facilitates this first by checking all potential recipients to be sure their needs are genuine and then by providing a Web-based service to connect them to people who can help.

Touch-A-Life is also unusual in that it encourages donations in kind and in volunteering. Donees post specific needs – for instance shoes, blankets, or school supplies. A donor can look through these request, find some that she can fill, and send the items directly to an individual who has requested them. Donors can also donate their time and skills, for instance to visit a housebound person whose family lives far away or to help a local charity such as a homeless shelter of soup kitchen.

What makes Touch-A-Life Unique

Touch-A-Life encourages and facilitates kindness. By leveraging social media and mobile technology, we connect donors to donee to raise not only funds, but collect donations in time (volunteer hours) and Kind; goods, food, supplies etc. This allows people to give what they can to people who need it.

  • Donor protection

    We utilize Blockchain technology so you can track your donation from end-to-end.

  • 0% platform fee

    We do not collect any platform fees from your donations. Charter Donors 100% fund operational costs.

  • Social Reach

    Touch-A-Life provides the tools to get your message out utilizing social media platforms

  • Mobile app

    TAL Giving facilitates one-to-one connections on a single source, fully transparent platform.

  • Simple to use

    Our user interface is simple and intuitive. If you have any questions our TAL Volunteers are happy to assist.