Sewickley 8-year-old launches fundraiser to help L.A. wildfire victims
A third grade Sewickley Academy student has launched a fundraiser in response to the recent horrific wildfires impacting Southern California.
Sa’Niya Miller of Sewickley has a routine of catching up on local and national news each morning as she readies herself for school.
“My grandparents and my stepdad, that’s all they watch, so I have to,” Sa’Niya said of her newsy family surroundings.
Sa’Niya watched a YouTube video showing people who were forced to evacuate their homes because of wildfires and she was called to action.
“I thought, what if that happened to me?” Sa’Niya said. “What would I do? I thought I could start a fundraiser and help. It’s so sad.”
With assistance from her mother, Willesha Miller, Sa’Niya designed a flyer for Sa’Niya’s LA Rescue with the tagline, “Be a Hero and Help Others!”
A “Join Sa’Niya in Helping LA Fire Survivors” GoFundMe launched online on Jan. 28.
“It didn’t surprise me because Sa’Niya is very much a giver. She’s helpful and I call her my second hand,” Miller said.
Sa’Niya met with school officials, pitched her idea, gained approval for the on-campus collection and announced the charity news during a school assembly.
Fundraising flyers are being distributed throughout the Sewickley area, and Sewickley Academy is an official collection location.
Collections will be accepted through mid-March. To date, more than $500 has been raised. Folks can donate online or drop off monetary donations at Sewickley Academy.
“That makes me feel happy,” said Sa’Naya, a self-professed Taylor Swift super fan who was dressed in her Swiftie best, complete with a sparkle skirt and boots for her interview with TribLive.
“ ‘Shake It Off’ is my favorite Taylor Swift song,” she said.
When she’s not fundraising, Sa’Niya likes to play softball, cheerlead, play with her dog named Saint Nicholas Jr. (a gift from Santa) and hang out with her big brother, Sa’ahir Miller, a seventh grader at Sewickley Academy.
Her favorite subject is math, and Sa’Niya’s teacher Dania Paul said her pupil’s compassion goes beyond the classroom.
“Sa’Niya’s kindness shines in everything she does. She’s always the first to lend a hand, whether it’s helping a classmate understand a tricky problem or making sure everyone feels included,” Paul said. “When she heard about the LA wildfires, she immediately wanted to find a way to help those in need. Sa’Niya’s heart is as big as her willingness to make the world a better place.”
When she was younger, Sa’Niya’s nickname was “mommy” because of her helpful nature and selfless attitude.
“We keep snacks in the car and pull over to help the homeless. She just was born with this need to help,” Miller said.
Sa’Niya hopes to raise at least $5,000. The electronically donated funds go directly to the American Red Cross.
Classmates donating change is collected and recorded by Sa’Niya.
“Donate whatever you can. Even a little bit makes a big difference,” Sa’Niya said. “It’s good to help rather than just sit there and be a lazy potato.”
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com
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