Piyush and Lisa Patel met as eighth grade pen pals, and this early correspondence led Piyush to believe that one day Lisa would become his wife. A true testament to the power of connection. Following his graduation from Oklahoma State University, Piyush began a teaching career. He discovered that there was a lack of tutorial programs for his students, and he wanted to do something about that.
With some help from a few friends and Lisa. He started an online training program that provided affordable tutorials in graphic design and software programs for students and developing artists. The company was called Digital Tutors and it became one of the largest digital libraries in the country. In 2014, they sold the company and began a new chapter in their lives — opening a winery. The Patels’ goal was to help change lives to the products they created, so they decided to donate all of their revenue to Oklahoma nonprofits. For our family, you know, we’re Oklahomans through and through, essentially. And so we kind of live by this philosophy of planting trees that were never going to sit under. And I think that’s just the Oklahoma way.
We do something for the future generations, even if we’re not beneficiaries on it today. In 2015, the Patels established the Piyush and Lisa Patel Family Fund with the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. This fund allows them to support causes and organizations they care about throughout Central Oklahoma, year after year. The Oklahoma City Community Foundation makes it possible for anyone to make a difference from small one-time gift to helping to manage a large estate, to providing gifts that will make a difference for generations to come.
The Oklahoma City Community Foundation can help anyone make a difference. One of the organizations that has benefited from the Patels’ generosity is Infant Crisis Services. Founded by Miki Farris, this nonprofit offers vital emergency support, including food and diapers, to babies and toddlers facing hardship. We’ve always been very concerned about children and health and mothers and health and their well-being.
So we thought Infant Crisis Services would be a wonderful way to do that. Piyush and Lisa are the kindest, most humble people that you’ll ever meet. They’re givers of knowledge. They’re givers of time. They’re givers of money. I am so glad that I’ve had the opportunity to have them as one of our donors, but they really become more than that, they’re friends.
Everything in here I need — like diapers and formula, food for my kids, clothes mainly. And blankets. They need shoes. So basically everything in here like they have, I need. So it’s really a blessing. Four years after establishing their family fun with OCCF, the Patels also created the Patel Family Scholarship through The Foundation. This scholarship offers one-time awards to graduating seniors who have participated in the Redlands Community College Trio Upward Bound Program, who plan to pursue a professional certificate, an associate or bachelor’s degree.
This program provides tutoring, college readiness, and college counseling to first generation or students facing financial barriers and access to college. And it really allows first generation college students to be able to have a support system. So we established the Patel Family Scholarship to essentially cover the first year of school wherever they want to go. So whenever I received the Patel Family Scholarship, I was excited because I knew that it would help with college tuition, and it’ll just kind of be like a little less of a financial stress like on me and my family.
So I’m very grateful for it. We provide highly-personalized service, guidance, excellent advice, and connections to help you make the greatest impact possible. We know that if each one of us does our part, we can reach the hopes and aspirations that we have for Oklahoma City and the Central Oklahoma region. Together, we can build a stronger, more supportive community for everyone.
If you want to make a difference, join us. Your Oklahoma City Community Foundation will help you make it happen.
