Let us help Ty and Ning get back on their feet.

Hello! My name is Mini Gajaria and I am here for Ty and his wife Ning, who are among the loveliest and most hardworking couple my family has come to know and love.

Ty and Ning

In July 2002, Ty and Ning's perseverance and hard work paid off and they managed to fulfill their dream of starting their family-owned Thai restaurant, "Sawasdee". Starting as a cute little place with about 8 tables, Sawasdee soon became one of the most popular restaurants in North Side Indianapolis, not just for its super delicious cuisine, made off family recipes, but for the heartwarming hospitality of its owners, Ty and Ning.

Ty and Ning, worked untiringly almost 12 hours each day. What kept them going were their dreams around their then 1-year-old daughter, Nina. Ty and Ning claim that their energy and joy at work came from connecting with their customers and they truly won over tons of loyal customers, with Ning's impeccable cooking and their innate simplicity, kindness, courtesy and generosity of spirit, which was extended unwaveringly, both towards their customers and their staff. Ty has a way of bringing people together and has won the friendship of many customers, my family and I being one of them. It's rare to see restaurant owners care so deeply for their staff as Ty and Ning did.

Hard times strike

Things were looking up for Ty and Ning as Sawasdee became a happy, bustling, award-winning restaurant, where you were sure to run into friends and colleagues. Until Covid changed the world for all of us. But it impacted some more harshly than others. Ty, Ning, their family and staff had to bear the brunt of Sawasdee's shutdown in 2019, despite their best efforts to keep it running. Displaying resilience and an indomitable spirit, so characteristic of them, Ty and Ning morphed their business from a well-run restaurant to a small curbside pickup and delivery business, doing most of the cooking and delivery themselves. But they poured the same love into their food, with their smiles, kindness and generosity undaunted. Their loyal customers stood by them in their moment of need.

After all their hardships, the great news is that they are on the verge of making a proverbial comeback. With the resources they have at hand, they have plans to start a much more modest, primarily takeout Thai restaurant with the same high quality and delicious Thai food. The plan is for this summer, at Keystone and 65th Street in Indianapolis.

For what will your donation be used

After having invested all they can, Ty and Ning are still running short of $25,000, which is our funding goal for this deserving lovely, hardworking couple. This amount is primarily needed for them to procure the equipment and infrastructure to embark on their new venture. I am sure that with the generosity you show, they will continue to make their mark on Thai cuisine in Indianapolis.

Thank you for your generosity in helping Ty and Ning, get a much-deserved fresh start in their lives. Knowing them as well as I and many of their customers do, they will pay your act of generosity forward as and whenever they can.