East Palo Alto kid helps community shoot for their dreams

EAST PALO ALTO, Calif. (KGO) -- He's only 11 and he's already a philanthropist with big plans to help his community.

Shay Patel saw a need in East Palo Alto and fulfilled it. Now he's taking on more challenges by launching a non-profit geared toward helping other kids reach their athletic potential.

Sports are the heart of the Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula and kids there love to play hoops.

Until recently, many on the in house basketball league played in whatever shoes and clothes they had like sneakers and even flip flops.

"It kind of made me feel bad," Patel said.

And so Shay decided to help. He started Alley-Oop Kids and quickly raised $6,000.

Last month, Shay delivered 60 gym bags filled with Nike shoes, clothes and basketballs to the children.

Ten-year-old Jennifer Perez got one of the bags.

"My favorite was the basketball," she said.

Perez wants to play in the WNBA one day and she said he's sure Shay's gifts will help get her there.

"He's a pretty nice guy to raise all this money for all of us," she said.

"I'm really happy I did this," Shay said. "I'm satisfied it went well. I'm glad for them and for myself."

"They're not too young to make a difference," Supna Patel, Shay's mother said.

Shay isn't finished helping the kids at the Boys and Girls Club. His next plan is to raise enough money so that every player on the in house soccer league can have new equipment.