Hewlett High School junior Layla Mikhaylov is turning compassion into action through her growing community initiative, the Golden Minds Project, a toy drive aimed at supporting children in shelters and foster programs — and now expanding its reach beyond the local community.
Running from Feb. 14 to April 19 through a combination of community donations, an online Amazon storefront and a GoFundMe campaign, Mikhaylov raised approximately $800, which she used to purchase additional toys, snacks and basic necessities. In total, her first fundraiser collected about 130 toys, all distributed directly to families at a shelter in Brownsville, Brooklyn.
“I’ve always been around kids, whether volunteering or working in daycares, and I realized not everyone has the same opportunities I had growing up,” Mikhaylov said. “When you actually see that, it makes you want to do something. I wanted to be hands-on and make people smile in person, not just send things off.”
Collection bins placed at a Brooklyn church and several daycare centers, along with social media outreach and an Amazon Wishlist, helped drive donations. At the event, families were invited to select toys themselves, an approach Mikhaylov said was intentional.
“I didn’t want it to feel like just receiving something,” she said. “I wanted the kids and families to feel involved, to choose what they liked. That makes it more special.”
Her mother, Polina Mendelovich, said the experience has been transformative.
“She really put her heart and soul into this,” Mendelovich said. “It gave her a lot of growth, a lot of responsibility, and opened her eyes to what life is like outside of our immediate community. Meeting these families face-to-face, especially those who have gone through hardship or displacement, is something that stays with you.”
Mikhaylov said the project was inspired by years of volunteering, including time spent helping students in Spain learn English, as well as her desire to support children facing difficult circumstances.
“My heart aches when I think about kids who don’t have access to things as simple as toys or educational materials,” she said. “This is my way of helping, even in a small way.”
Looking ahead, Mikhaylov is working to expand the Golden Minds Project through a partnership with the Atongi Foundation, a nonprofit that supports communities both locally and internationally, including in Ghana. Through that collaboration, leftover toys and newly purchased hygiene products will be sent overseas to support children and families in need.
“We’re not just focusing on toys anymore,” she said. “We’re also collecting hygiene products and other essentials, because families need more than just toys. Partnering with the Atongi Foundation is helping us grow and reach people not just here, but around the world.”
Mikhaylov said she also plans to bring the initiative to additional shelters across New York, including an upcoming distribution in Jamaica, Queens.
For Mendelovich, watching her daughter take the lead has been both emotional and inspiring.
“She’s not just organizing something — she’s connecting with people,” she said. “She’s seeing the impact up close, and that’s something you can’t teach. It’s something you feel.”
For Mikhaylov, that connection is what matters most.
“Being behind the scenes and actually making it happen — that’s what means the most to me,” she said. “Just seeing the kids happy, even for a moment, makes everything worth it.”
