Anam Ahmed Gives Back Through Technology

For Anam Ahmed, Salaam Food Pantry has been a part of her life since she was around seven years old. After years of volunteering and witnessing the Pantry’s impact on local families, choosing an Eagle Scout project that would give back to the community felt especially meaningful.

For her project, Anam worked alongside her fellow Scouts to refurbish 25 laptops, all of which were donated to Salaam Food Pantry for distribution to community members in need. Scouts were able to get hands-on technology experience rarely available to high school students. As part of the refurbishment effort, they learned how laptops are built and gained firsthand exposure to computer hardware, including motherboards, memory modules, SSD storage, batteries, and other internal components. They used diagnostic tools to identify faulty parts and worked together to repair and restore devices for community use. Through this process, the Scouts developed valuable technical, problem-solving, and teamwork skills while gaining confidence in working with technology. For many, it was their first opportunity to explore the inner workings of a computer, serving as an inspiring introduction to STEM. The project gave technology that may otherwise have been discarded a second life, while giving students access to an increasingly essential resource.

“Technology is a privilege many people do not have access to,” Anam shared. “Refurbishing these computers allows people in the community to have access to technology for school, work, job applications, and other needs.”

The project also became an opportunity for Anam to grow as a leader. She hopes to pursue a career in nursing, where service and compassion will remain at the center of her work. Organizing the project strengthened her leadership, collaboration, and communication skills, many of which she has been developing throughout her years at Pantry.

“My time at Pantry has taught me how to work with people, communicate, and understand the importance of helping people who may be going through a hard time,” she said.

With all 25 laptops refurbished and delivered, Salaam Food Pantry has already begun placing them in the hands of community members. Anam is now moving through the final approval stage of her Eagle Scout process, but the impact of her project is already taking shape.

“I feel proud that the work my fellow Scouts and I did actually helped and made a difference in the community,” Anam shared. “Salaam Food Pantry has been a big part of my life, and it means a lot to me that I am able to give back to the community that I have been a part of for so long.”

What began with Anam volunteering at Pantry as a child has come full circle years later. We are deeply grateful to Anam and her fellow Scouts for transforming 25 laptops into tools for education, opportunity, and greater access for the families we serve.

Asiya Siddiqui - Journalist