Chirag Vedullapalli might not be like most kids his age  — but that’s not a bad thing.

Chirag, 12, started painting and successfully selling his artwork at age 5.

“He used to paint a lot and people used to come to our house and say, ‘it’s so beautiful, I want to buy it,’” said Chaitra Vedullapalli, Chirag’s mom.

The Sammamish boy enjoyed his rewards at first, buying all the toys he desired. At age 9, however, his mindset changed.

“After a time, toys got boring,” Chirag said. “I was thinking if I get toys for someone who would use them forever or for someone who would use them for a good cause, then it’s way more worth it.”

The selfless idea resulted in the formation of Creative Children for Charity, or 3C  — a nonprofit dedicated selling art to benefit children in need.

Since bringing in friend and fellow artist, Amol Garg, 13, the organization has raised thousands of dollars selling art through its website.

“We both like art and we both like giving to charity,” said Amol, a seventh-grader at Pine Lake Middle School.

Artists who feature their products on the site pay a commission, 100 percent of which goes to charity. Some artists choose to donate all their proceeds to 3C.

The two also step outside the web, hosting fundraisers in the community. The most recent, titled “Canvas & Cupcakes,” was held Feb. 21 at Beaver Lake Lodge. Kids paid a $20 entry fee to paint a cupcake canvas, then decorated their own cupcake for consumption. All of the $1,000 raised were donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

This was just the first of many events the boys hope to host. In fact, they have a goal of breaking a Guinness Record by hosting a 5,000-kid art workshop and fundraiser  — something they want to do before they reach high school.

They also have another large goal before they reach 18.

“By that time we want to have at least one million kids who are inspired and have donated to social causes to kids because of us,” Amol said.

After they reach adulthood the two already have plans of becoming chairmen of 3C, noting the company’s whole idea is meant to be for kids and to be fully run by kids.

Regardless of age, the boys see art and philanthropy remaining a primary focus.

“I enjoy doing it, it’s what I’m passionate about, it’s how I express my feelings,” Chirag said.

Brendan Widup, 7, paints a cupcake canvas during a 3C fundraiser last week at Beaver Lake Lodge.