Junior Krish Gajaria, Co-Founder of Pages of Progress
What is Pages to Progress and what is your mission?
Pages for Progress is a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing the widespread literary crisis in Indiana and fostering a love for reading among children and adults. Overall, our goal is to help mitigate this crisis and expand quality literature to communities that may not have it readily available. We have a special focus on refugee and immigrant children, as well as those who do not have the resources to pursue quality education.
Why did you decide to get involved?
Similar to most nonprofits, Pages for Progress was born out of a problem within our community: a statewide literacy crisis. Recognizing the severity of the issue, we began to explore ways to address this problem and actively help support our community. After countless hours of brainstorming, discussing ideas, and considering different approaches, we were able to consolidate all the concepts and establish Pages for Progress.
What has been the biggest obstacle to making this non-profit?
One of the biggest obstacles in launching Pages for Progress has been securing partnerships and roles in events due to our small size. As a young organization, we’ve faced challenges convincing larger groups and community leaders to take us seriously and collaborate with us. It’s been difficult to secure sponsorships, event spaces, and support for our initiatives, as many organizations are hesitant to work with smaller nonprofits. Fortunately, we have been able to overcome this obstacle through continued persistence as well as support and mentorship from other organizations such as “Grassroots Projects.”
What do you have planned for the future?

Looking ahead, Pages for Progress aims to expand its services throughout all of Indiana by forming strategic partnerships with other literacy-focused organizations and educational programs. We plan to introduce more initiatives that provide services such as interactive reading experiences. mentorship programs, and more. Considering the preliminary stages of this organization, there are endless opportunities for future growth and expansion and we look forward to capitalizing on them.
What are some future events for your nonprofit?
We have several exciting events planned throughout the next several months. Since we are constantly adding new events, the best way to stay updated is by checking our website, where we post upcoming dates as they are scheduled. We also share event announcements on our social media pages, so our supporters can stay informed and get involved as opportunities arise.
What are you most proud of when creating Pages for Progress?
One of the most rewarding aspects of Pages for Progress has been the overwhelming support and enthusiasm from the community. Seeing people come together to contribute books, resources, and time toward improving literacy has been truly inspiring. Furthermore, seeing the joy on the faces of the children and families that we have had the opportunity to serve has been a heartwarming experience, and is one of the main motivators that we continue to work for.
Anything else to add?
Objectively, literacy is one of the most fundamental skills that shape a person’s future, and yet, so many children in Indiana are struggling due to a lack of access to books and reading materials. Pages for Progress is more than just a nonprofit; it is a way to help bridge this gap and leave a lasting impact on as many lives as possible. We also greatly appreciate any support—whether it’s book donations, financial contributions, or simply spreading awareness—to help us achieve our mission. Together, we can ensure that every child has the opportunity to read, learn, and grow.
Junior Andrew Fechtman, Co-Founder of Pages for Progress
What is Pages to Progress and what is your mission?
Pages for Progress is an initiative to change the path of education in the state of Indiana. 1 in 5 third graders are unable to read and ILEARN scores are at an all-time low. Our mission is to promote literacy and ensure that it is accessible to underserved communities in the region.
Why did you decide to get involved?
I decided to put my foot through the door and strive to make a change because I saw the need for a service like this and had to do something about it. In Carmel, we have the resources that many others don’t. I knew that I could take what I have around me and share it with those in need.
What has been the biggest obstacle to making this non-profit?
The legal work and website development have been the hardest part of the process. It takes time and patience to get through both of those things. Krish ended up handling most of the legal process while I’ve been steadily developing our website.
What do you have planned for the future?
Eventually, we want to get even more people involved. Right now it’s just been us two, but with effort from others, our services can expand and we can do so much more as an organization. One day we could turn Pages for Progress into a club and promote it at our school.
What are some future events for your nonprofit?
We have an international event coming up where we will be distributing books in French, Haitian, Creole, Arabic, and Burmese. It’s great to know that we’re helping out such an ethnically diverse community.
What are you most proud of when creating Pages for Progress?
One of the most rewarding aspects of Pages for Progress has been the overwhelming support and enthusiasm from the community. Seeing people come together to contribute books, resources, and time toward improving literacy has been truly inspiring. Furthermore, seeing the joy on the faces of the children and families that we have had the opportunity to serve has been a heartwarming experience, and is one of the main motivators that we continue to work for.
Anything else to add?
I’m proud to see people excited to read. At our holiday event, everyone was coming to our table to check out the books. There were smiles on their faces and appreciation from parents. It was a great feeling for us.