About Us
Trojan Street Aid is the hub for USC students who want to serve the communities around campus. We bring students of every major and skill set together to support people experiencing homelessness, and people who have recently found housing, across Los Angeles.
Our goals
Support people who have recently found housing
Following the Housing First model, we partner with shelters and temporary housing programs to bring resources tailored to the people they serve, from medical aid to social events to professional development.
Inspire USC students to commit to a life of service
USC sits in a community where thousands of people could benefit from what its undergraduate and graduate students know. We open the door for students to give their time and skills in meaningful ways.
Our impact
700
meals handed out at Humanitarian Day 2025
350
medical & dental hygiene kits distributed
40
USC volunteers renovating Star Apartments
21
events since February 2025
Our story
We started Trojan Street Aid because we wanted one place where USC students from any background could find a way to make an impact in the communities around campus.
In the beginning, we went to Skid Row, asked people what items they needed, and came back a week later with them. We soon realized that wasn’t sustainable, so we looked for ways to make a longer-lasting difference.
We began holding workshops for residents at the Hollywood Inn, a shelter run by People Assisting the Homeless (PATH). At STAR Apartments, another PATH site in Skid Row, we renovated the outdoor space, and it quickly became a volunteer favorite: over Sunday afternoons, students built chairs and tables, painted a mural, made a pet area, cleaned up the garden and power-washed the floors. See the Wellness Project
UMMA Health also invites us to its health fairs, where medical and undergraduate students offer free blood pressure, blood glucose and BMI screenings under the supervision of UMMA physicians. Anyone with unusual results can talk with a doctor on the spot. And since 2025, we’ve served at Ilm Foundation’s Humanitarian Day in Skid Row. Read about Humanitarian Day
Whatever the project, the idea is the same: bring together students with all kinds of skills to help the people living on our streets.
Our Services
Nourish
We provide packaged meals, clothing, and hygiene kits at partner shelters, meeting immediate needs with dignity and care. Medical and dental students join to offer basic screenings and referrals.
See Humanitarian Day 2025
Empower
From mental health and wellness to anger management and oral hygiene, we host welcoming workshops that build confidence, skills, and connection. Students lead; residents set the pace.
See the Goal Setting Workshop
Restore
With partners like PATH, we convert underused areas into calming wellness spaces: soft seating, greenery, art, and gardens. Small upgrades, lasting impact.
See the Wellness Project
Milestones
From handing out essentials on Skid Row to painting a mural at STAR Apartments, here’s how TSA has grown.
January 2025
Recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
The IRS confirmed our tax-exempt status, so donations to TSA are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
Our First Day of Service
We set up our tent and handed out essentials to our unhoused neighbors.
Humanitarian Day 2025
With Ilm Foundation in Skid Row: 700 meals, 350 medical and dental kits, and free health screenings.
Unity Day Health Fair
USC undergrads and Keck medical students offered free health screenings, in partnership with local mosques.
Bi-weekly workshops with PATH
Regular workshops for shelter residents on mobility, oral hygiene, pain management, anger management and more.
Wellness Project
With a grant from the Qaleel Fund, 40 USC volunteers renovated the outdoor space at STAR Apartments in Skid Row.
Mural Makeover
Ten weeks of priming, sketching and painting turned a blank wall at STAR Apartments into a sunset mural.
Workshops for middle and high schoolers
We brought our workshops to students at the FamilySource Center in South Los Angeles.
Who we work with
The shelters, clinics, funders and student groups we’ve worked with across Los Angeles.
People Assisting the Homeless (PATH)
Our main shelter partner: workshops at the Hollywood Inn and the Wellness Project at STAR Apartments.
See the Wellness Project
UMMA Health
Health fairs where our students offer free screenings under the supervision of UMMA physicians.
See the UMMA Health Fair
Ilm Foundation
Hosts the annual Humanitarian Day in Skid Row, where we hand out aid kits and meals and run health screenings.
See Humanitarian Day 2026
FamilySource Center
Stress management and vision board workshops for middle and high schoolers in South Los Angeles.
See the Vision Board Workshop
Qaleel Fund
Funded the Wellness Project renovation at STAR Apartments with a grant.
See the Wellness Project
USC student clubs
Clubs from across USC team up with us on service projects, like making sandwiches and handing them out on Skid Row.
See the Sandwich Making Drive
The people behind TSA
Our founders lead the nonprofit board, and a new student board leads our work each school year.
Talha Rafique
Founder & Non-Profit Chairman
Nora Allata
Founder
Mahnoor Haq
Founder
Ovie Nirgudkar
President, 2026–2027
Questions
Who can volunteer?
USC students from every major and program volunteer with us: undergraduates, graduate students, and medical and dental students. Everyone brings something different.
Do I need any experience?
No. Register for an event, and our team will show you what to do when you arrive. At health fairs, screenings are done under the supervision of licensed physicians.
How do I sign up for an event?
Pick an event on our Upcoming Events page and register through Luma. You can also fill out our volunteer form, and we’ll reach out about future events.
See upcoming eventsIs TSA a USC club or a nonprofit?
Both. We’re a USC student organization and a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so donations to TSA are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
See our nonprofit documentsWhere do donations go?
Every donation either supports an unhoused individual directly or covers the costs of our events and operations.
DonateCan my organization partner with TSA?
Yes. If you run a shelter, clinic or community program and would like student volunteers, we’d love to hear from you.
Contact usJoin us
Volunteer at an upcoming event, or support our work with a donation.
Trojan Street Aid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 33-3050805. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. See our documents