There’s nothing college students love more than YouTube videos and mac and cheese, better yet, YouTube videos about mac and cheese. When a YouTube video of a drunken college student aggressively demanding “Jalapeno and Bacon Mac and Cheese” went viral, Sathya Peri and Devin Quinn knew exactly how to turn a negative into a positive. Junior Sathya Peri and Freshman Devin Quinn are Students of Bentley University who were brought together by their desire to spark social change through social media.

(Peri is pictured above, Quinn below)

Peri and Quinn started off as a part of a small group of friends who wanted to do something meaningful for the local community during the Holidays. They decided their mission was to aid homelessness and hunger by providing a bowl of jalapeno and bacon mac and cheese to 100 homeless people shortly before Thanksgiving. Their efforts and goals grew as more and more people jumped on board to aid them. They eventually collected enough money to be able to provide a full meal to those they will be serving, not just the mac and cheese. Motivated by the success their project was seeing, they partnered with Y2Y Harvard Square, a shelter for homeless youth, to provide 30 individuals with warm beanies, socks, and gloves. Their most recent efforts have allowed them to partner with Strideline; for every pair of socks purchased through Peri and Quinn’s unique fundraising link, a pair will be donated to the cause.

Peri and Quinn will be hosting their event in Boston. There, the boys, among other volunteers, will be serving mac and cheese to homeless youth, as well as providing them with the donated and purchased socks, beanies, and gloves.

Peri and Quinn recognize that, though the Jalapeno and Bacon Mac and Cheese Video gave them their inspiration, it was just the vehicle the boys needed to discover their passion: helping those struggling with homelessness and hunger. They are two individuals who care about their community and the well-being of others. What I’ve found is that, while most people do care about the community, they rarely take action. Yet Peri and Quinn took the initiative to do something, and are finding an incredible following.

To follow their success and/ or make a donation, please visit the link below:

http://bit.ly/macncheeseforchange

To view the YouTube video that started it all check out:

http://bit.ly/thatonekid

Wishing them luck as they continue this exciting journey!