The idea of “giving without taking” is rare today. Yet it is the guiding philosophy behind co-founder and executive director Thomas Jacob’s initiatives, the Life Skills Project and the Life Scholar Project, designed to support students from non-traditional backgrounds—particularly those reentering society through juvenile justice programs.
To make this vision a reality, Jacob has partnered with teachers, case workers, and guidance counselors to identify and vet students for scholarships. Beyond financial aid, he connects them with subject matter experts to provide mentorship and career guidance—giving these otherwise disadvantaged students a vital leg up.
Though an immigrant from India in the 1980s, Jacob’s initiatives are not defined by his background. Guided by a philosophy of “giving without taking,” he emphasizes helping others for the greater good, regardless of where they come from. Drawing on the support he received early in his U.S. journey, he has built programs that rely on collaboration and expertise from others, turning ideas into action.
While Jacob’s initiatives remain rooted in Virginia for now, where he works closely with the state’s Department of Juvenile Justice. Expanding into neighboring states like Maryland or Washington, D.C., would be possible, he says, but limited funding keeps the program focused locally. Still, Jacob’s vision is anything but small: his personal goal is to provide at least 100 scholarships before, as he puts it, he “checks out.” With public support, he believes that ambitious milestone is well within reach.
In an exclusive interview with The American Bazaar, Jacob shared details about these initiatives, a unique candle fundraiser supporting them, and the philosophy that drives his work.
The American Bazaar: We’d like to know more about your initiatives—the Life Skills Project and the Life Scholar Project. Can you elaborate?
Thomas Jacob: We started the first program, the Life Scholar Project, back in 2021. It’s a very small initiative where we focus on at-risk or reentry students. In our case, that means students who have completed a juvenile reentry program through the Department of Corrections. In Virginia, for example, anyone under 18 who gets into trouble with the law may go through such a program, where a facility functions both as a correctional center and a high school.
During that period, we work closely with caseworkers or parole officers to identify one or two students who want to turn their lives around. We provide them with scholarships and also connect them with subject matter experts in their chosen field.
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The main reason I started this project was to give back. I’m an immigrant from India, and when I came to the U.S. I received a lot of help from the community—housing subsidies, educational grants, and so on. Years later, as my own kids were graduating, I thought about those blessings and what we could do to give back in our own way.
We began talking to retired teachers, and they pointed us toward the reentry program. Many students come from supportive families with parents who can encourage them and provide financial assistance. But there are also those who fall through the cracks, coming from difficult backgrounds. That’s where we wanted to focus—on scholarships and mentorship for reentry students.
We take one or two students a year, and each one is vetted by caseworkers, parole officers, and transitional officers, since we’re not the experts in that process. Once vetted, we work with the students directly, ask them questions, and have them write a short essay on their plans. Most of these students go to trade schools or community colleges, and we provide them with a $1,000 scholarship.
One of our first students was an exceptional football player. He was very depressed after going through the correctional program. With his mother’s active participation, we connected him to a retired football player who mentored him. That relationship sparked something in him. Today, he has graduated from college and runs his own trucking business as an owner-operator.
That’s our goal: to give students the opportunity to be educated, mentored, and skilled so they become self-sufficient and don’t fall back into old patterns. The good thing about the U.S. system is that for most petty crimes—not serious ones like murder—records can be expunged when students turn 18, giving them a clean slate.
We’ve seen students from different backgrounds. One recent graduate wanted to be a welder, so we gave him a scholarship and, more importantly, connected him with a C-level executive at the largest shipbuilding company in the U.S. That connection proved invaluable. Once he completed his certification, he got a job as a welder at a shipyard. Today, he’s an apprentice making $25–26 an hour, and by the time he finishes his three-year program, he could be earning $150,000 to $200,000 a year. That’s what the Life Scholar Project is all about.
Over time, though, we realized that scholarships and mentorship are just the beginning. To make a person whole, skills training has to come into play. It’s the difference between giving someone food and teaching them how to fish.
That’s why we started the Life Skills Project about a year and a half ago. This program brings industry professionals and subject matter experts into classrooms. We currently work with the Prince William County School System, which has 17 high schools. Students get to hear directly from professionals about career paths, build connections, and gain firsthand insights into what certain studies can lead to. By the time they graduate, they’re better prepared to secure meaningful jobs.
Together, these two initiatives form the foundation of our work. Alongside them, I’ve written a booklet about my philosophy of “giving without taking.” It’s not complicated—it’s simply about creating something meaningful that outlasts us. Like planting a mango tree: it will live beyond us, bearing fruit, providing shelter, and cleaning the air for generations. Even small acts can have multigenerational impact.
Of course, all of this requires financial support. So we registered the Life Scholar Project as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which allows us to receive tax-deductible donations. The Life Skills Project, meanwhile, was set up as a low-profit public organization, with 100% of its efforts dedicated to the greater good.
Finally, we also created a product line to indirectly support the mission: the Life Essenz Project, which produces candles and diffusers. This way, people can contribute simply by purchasing something they need.
That’s a snapshot of where we are today and how we’re trying to make a difference.
You’ve spoken about your personal and professional life as well as these programs. Was there a particular moment or incident that really propelled you to start this work—something that became the spark for it all?
When my son graduated from high school, he was able to land a job with Lockheed Martin, one of the largest defense contractors in the world. That happened because he met some people who had connections, and those contacts opened doors for him. I realized then that while we all make mistakes, if you have the drive to succeed, you can—but the truth is, most people simply don’t have the right contacts or connections to reach their dream career. So we thought, what if we could be the catalyst to make those connections for others?
That was really the spark. And when I thought back to my own beginnings, it reinforced the idea. I remembered all the help I had received even though they didn’t know me personally. I was the beneficiary of someone else’s effort and generosity. So I thought, maybe now it’s my turn to act. That was the moment.
Were there any specific challenges you faced when you started these initiatives?
I had never worked in the nonprofit sector before. I’m not an expert, and I don’t have a background in social work. So every day has been a new challenge—whether it’s fundraising, navigating social media, or simply finding ways to get our story out.
How is your organization funded?
We’re very small, with a budget of less than $5,000 a year. Right now, the organization is primarily self-funded. If we had more resources, we could expand, because there are many deserving students who need this kind of support. But with limited funds, we avoid over-promising—we don’t want a student to go through the entire process only for us to say we don’t have the money or time to help. Currently, everyone involved is a volunteer. With more funding, we would love to hire staff who can dedicate themselves to growing the program.
One way we raise funds is through candles and diffusers. In the U.S., the Girl Scouts sell cookies to fund their mission—we’ve modeled our approach on that, but with a twist. In our case, 20% of the proceeds go directly to students. That way, they benefit from the sales as well—whether it’s to buy school supplies or save for college. It creates a win-win situation, and it’s helping us overcome the funding challenge.
When you say the candles help students directly, does that mean they’re involved in making them?
Not yet. Candle-making requires technical expertise and safety measures, so for now, they’re manufactured by a professional company. With diffusers, though, we handle part of the process—we buy in bulk, bottle and assemble them ourselves, and make them our own. The long-term goal is to bring production in-house so we can offer employment opportunities and hands-on training. But at this stage, we’re not there yet.
We only launched the products two or three months ago, along with our website. The unique aspect of our candles is that they don’t just provide aromatherapy—they also neutralize odors. Homemakers in particular have given us great feedback. Everything is manufactured in the U.S., and as we grow, we hope to expand production in ways that directly involve students.
When you started this organization, were there others doing similar work? And did you see a specific gap you wanted to fill?
When my kids were looking for scholarships, we realized most of them were aimed at students who excel academically—those with good grades and strong résumés. But we didn’t see many opportunities for kids coming out of re-entry programs. These students often face difficult backgrounds and higher dropout rates compared to their peers.
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One of our challenges is making sure the students who enter our program are serious about finishing what they start. More than 50% of re-entry students drop out, so we work closely with teachers, caseworkers, and parole officers to validate each student’s commitment. So far, this partnership has helped us identify the right students and support them successfully.
I’m not saying we’re the only ones doing this—there are many organizations doing good work. But addressing this specific gap is where we felt we could make a real difference.
You’ve also spoken about your “giving without taking” philosophy. How did you put that concept into practice, and how has it been received?
“Giving without taking” is an idea I outlined in a small booklet I wrote, and I wanted to make sure the philosophy was more than just words. I use the example of planting a mango tree: it will outlive us, continue to bear fruit, provide shelter, and clean the environment long after we’re gone. That’s the essence of the idea—create something meaningful that outlasts you.
I’ve tried to bring that into the projects we’ve built. The Life Scholar Project and Life Skills Project are both nonprofit efforts designed to directly help students. The third program, the Life Essence Project, was created to help sustain the first two. Its goal is to make the nonprofit self-sufficient and ensure the work continues even after I or other founders step aside.
The reality is that nearly 98.5% of small nonprofits in the U.S. fail after their founders move on, usually because of funding challenges. My wife, our board, and I are passionate about this mission, but passion alone isn’t enough. If the Life Essence Project succeeds, it will provide a lasting financial base to keep the scholar and skills programs alive for the long term.
That, in a nutshell, is how “giving without taking” works—and I’ve shared more examples in my book to show how anyone can apply it.
So, what’s next? What are your plans for the future with your organizations?
The Scholar Project is now in expansion mode. I’m not trying to complicate things—the teachers and counselors we’ve worked with have said we’ve built a strong foundation. What we need is more funding to bring in additional students and expand our impact. As part of this plan, we’ve developed sponsorship proposals.
For example, if a company manufactures a product with multiple components, our students could be trained to assemble one of those parts. Say an air conditioning company needs blowers for its units—our students could learn to assemble those blowers as part of their workforce development training. The finished components would then feed directly into the company’s supply chain. It’s a win-win: students gain real skills and industry experience, and companies receive tangible contributions from the program. I’m currently in talks with companies to support us in this way.
On the fundraising side, we also want to expand the reach of our candles. Right now, sales are small, either online or one-on-one, but the reviews have been very positive. As a nonprofit, we’ve been cautious not to overpromise. Reputation is our most valuable asset, and we’d rather understate the benefits than risk disappointing people. Fortunately, the feedback so far has been excellent, both in terms of functionality and aroma.
Our goal now is to get the candles into retail stores while continuing to grow sales online. And we’ve adopted a tagline that captures our mission well: “Light a candle, light a future.” It sums up what we’re trying to achieve—providing customers with a meaningful product while directly supporting students in need.
Nileena Sunil is a Reporter for the American Bazaar. A postgraduate in English Literature from Christ University, Bengaluru, she has previously worked as an instructional designer and a copywriter before switching fields.
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