Reath got the idea for HHSP four years ago, when he was looking for a way to give back.“I had the idea in my heart this it was something I wanted to do,” Reath said. “I found some friends, I found some family, I found some people with the same idea in their heart, and that’s how the idea came about.”

HHSP focuses on providing food and water resources to Sudanese refugees located in the Gambella region of Ethiopia. Reath estimates the population in this area to be around 60,000.

As one of the Lost Boys of the Second Sudanese Civil War, Reath is emotionally tied to his mission. When he was 4-years-old, Reath was separated from his family and lived in a refugee camp until he came to the United States six years ago.

Reath has three main goals for HHSP: alleviate food shortages, provide access to clean drinking water and educate refugees so they may find employment.

On a recent trip to Ethiopia Reath was able to provide food to those in the refugee camp by distributing fishing nets and locally purchased chickens. This allows locals to be in control of their food supply, and sell excess as a source of income.

Local contractors worked with Reath to improve and expand local wells and springs to bring water to refugees. Reath hopes that this water will help decrease disease and provide a way for locals to water their gardens, which will provide them with an affordable source of food.

Finally, Reath focused on spreading awareness about the need for vocational training to make it easier for refugees to get a job. He also employed locals with the first two initiatives, purchasing the fishing nets and chickens from them to fuel the local economy.

“If we don’t get you through our farming, we will get you through our fishing program. If we don’t get you through our fishing, then we’ll get you through our chickens. If we don’t get you through our chickens, then we’ll get you through our school,” Reath said.

HHSP recently received a grant from Whole Foods Market and Allegro Coffee, which they used to lease a 10,000-square-foot plot of land for a community garden.

Students from the local agriculture school manage the garden. Only those students with the highest levels of merit, dedication and success in the school are given the opportunity to work on the farm. The food from this garden is then dispersed throughout the community.

Reath’s next trip to Ethiopia is scheduled for June 18. His main goal for this trip is to build an irrigation system that will gather rainwater to be used to water the crops in their garden.

After being selected as a semi-finalist, Reath will be flown to NYC for an interview with non-profit professionals and former Do Something Award winners. The top five finalists will be announced on the Do Something Awards on VH1 in late August. Of the top five, the grand prize winner will receive a $100,000 community grant and the four runners-up will each receive $10,000.

The community grants will go directly to the finalists non-profit or an organization of their choice. Finalists also have the option of taking $5,000 of their prize total as an educational scholarship. If Reath wins an award, he hopes to expand his organization to the national level.