Neighbor News
PALY Junior Raises More Than $3,000 to Help Rescue Dogs and Cats
Palo Alto High School junior Maya Bhalla raised more than $3,000 through seven bake sales to benefit Doggie Protective Services Rescue.
Over the past year, Palo Alto High School rising senior Maya Bhalla demonstrated how one student's creativity, dedication, and compassion can make a meaningful difference for animals in need.
Beginning in the summer of 2025 and continuing throughout the 2025-2026 school year, Maya conceived, organized, and led seven bake sales benefiting Doggie Protective Services (DPS Rescue), a volunteer driven nonprofit organization that has helped more than 12,000 dogs and cats find loving homes since its founding in 2001. Working through an extensive network of foster homes across California, DPS Rescue rescues animals from local shelters and rescue partners while helping them find permanent, loving homes.
Through her hand decorated dog and cat themed cupcakes, cookies, brownies, and other baked goods, Maya transformed her love of baking into a year long fundraising initiative. In the days leading up to each bake sale, she spent many hours designing new animal themed treats, shopping for ingredients, decorating every item by hand, and baking late into the evening. Every baked good sold at the events was prepared by Maya herself.
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Each bake sale was held outside Pet Food Express in Palo Alto, where shoppers and pet lovers stopped to support the cause while learning more about pet adoption and the work of DPS Rescue. Together, Maya's seven bake sales raised more than $3,000 for DPS Rescue.
What makes Maya's accomplishment especially meaningful is that it wasn't the result of a single event. Through seven separate bake sales held over the course of an entire year, she steadily built community support while combining her creativity, love of baking, and passion for helping rescue animals.
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The seventh bake sale was held on Saturday, June 27, where Maya reached the $3,000 fundraising milestone. Palo Alto Mayor Vicki Veenker attended the event to congratulate Maya, participated in the commemorative check presentation, and spent time learning more about the work of DPS Rescue.
Through her project, Maya hopes to inspire other young people to discover ways they can use their own interests and talents to make a positive impact in their communities.
