Indiaspora raises $1 million for COVID relief; partners for "Help India Breathe" May 1st

Indiaspora raises over $1 million for COVID relief from diaspora leaders in 48 hours

Aims to double the impact of relief efforts by providing matching funds Saturday, May 1st during the virtual event, “Help India Breathe”

San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC  — April 30, 2021  — Indiaspora, a nonprofit community of global Indian diaspora leaders, announced they raised USD $1 million toward COVID-19 relief efforts within the last 48 hours and will aim to double the impact of their donations by offering to match funds Saturday during the virtual event, “Help India Breathe.”“We are proud of our community’s response. The outpouring of support from the Indian diaspora has been immediate and overwhelming,” said Sanjeev Joshipura, Executive Director of Indiaspora. “We hope Saturday’s event will continue to raise awareness and provide another opportunity for all of us to give. This has the potential to serve as a launch pad for additional and much-needed help for relief efforts in India.”The $1 million will address three major areas of COVID-19 relief on the ground: the creation of urgently needed COVID care centers and makeshift hospitals through nonprofit WISH Foundation, direct cash transfer to families who have lost a primary earning member through nonprofit giving platform GiveIndia, and food relief and livelihood assistance for migrant workers and other underserved populations through nonprofits Goonj and Jan Sahas."I am heartbroken by the deepening COVID crisis in India. Urgent action is needed to help those suffering,” said Indiaspora Founders Circle member Reshma Kewalramani, Chief Executive Officer and President at Vertex, a global biotechnology company, who contributed toward the campaign. “Please join me in giving as generously as you can to support India in her time of need.”Indiaspora will use the money raised from its members to match donations during the virtual event,  “Help India Breathe,” which will take place from 1 PM-3 PM PT / 4 PM-6 PM ET and will bring together several powerful voices from the Indian and AAPI community, including Lilly Singh, Deepak Chopra, Dhar Mann, Payal Kadakia, Kunal Nayyar, Humble the Poet, Jay Sean, Radhanath Swami, Janina Gavankar, Vishen Lakhiani, Deepica Mutyala, and others.“We are devastated by the news of the rising tragedies in India. They urgently need our help, and we are so grateful to our friends, communities, and audiences that will participate in making a difference this weekend. We know you’ll show up,” said best-selling author, award winning storyteller & podcast host, and former monk Jay Shetty, who has put together the two-hour event, which will be livestreamed on his and Indiaspora’s Facebook and YouTube pages.Funds raised during the event will go toward GiveIndia, which launched India COVID Response Fund-1 in April 2020. With the second deadly wave currently hitting India, the organization launched ICRF-2 to support gaps in healthcare and other critical needs.Indiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a nonprofit community of powerful global Indian leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions who are committed to inspiring the diaspora to be a force for positive impact by providing a platform to collaborate, engage, and catalyze social change.

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Indiaspora Releases 2020: Indian Diaspora in Action

RELEASE JULY 30, 2020

Indiaspora Releases 2020: Indian Diaspora in Action

The Indian American diaspora has taken a leadership position in COVID-19 relief efforts in both the U.S. and India

 Washington, DC — July 30, 2020  — Indiaspora, a nonprofit organization of global Indian diaspora leaders from various backgrounds and professions, released today 2020 Indian Diaspora in Action: Tracking the Indian American Response to COVID-19, a report detailing the philanthropic impact of the diaspora on COVID-19 relief.  The tremendous outpouring of support for both the U.S. and India has been witnessed across the board from helping to provide meals to migrant workers in India, personal protective equipment to frontline healthcare workers, education through e-learning and healthcare.The report details the actions of 58 non-profit organizations re-purposing their efforts in response to the pandemic and illustrates the power of the Indian Diaspora community.“Never before have we witnessed such a united all-out community relief effort amongst the diaspora. One of the most unique aspects we witnessed was the efforts by the next generation of philanthropists through their incredible volunteer efforts,” said Gabrielle Trippe, Indiaspora Philanthropy Initiatives Manager.A notable group that has been at the forefront of the response since the onset of the pandemic is the India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA). IPA is a coalition of twelve development and humanitarian organizations working together to mobilize resources and build alliances to benefit India. Charmain of India Philanthropy Alliance Deepak Raj stated, “It is an honor to  lead such a remarkable group of organizations coming together in a historic response to support those most in need during these incredibly challenging times.”The actions taken by the Indian Diaspora show they are committed to providing sustained long-term relief during the pandemic and serve as a model and inspiration for individuals and communities across the globe.“We feel it is our dharma, or duty, to help others during this time,” said Arun Kankani, President at Sewa International, USA, whose nonprofit has been providing on-the-ground relief, and also began a COVID-19 plasma registry to help physicians treat patients with respiratory failure from COVID-19. “When we saw so many affected, we didn’t feel like we had a choice in the matter.”Indiaspora is proud to note that several of these organizations were founded by Indiaspora members. These organizations include: 360Plus, Arogya World, Achieving Women Equity Foundation, Freedom Employability Academy, Indian American Council’s Hunger Mitao, and WISH Foundation.Indiaspora also recently completed a giving campaign to fight hunger, ChaloGive for COVID-19, in response to food insecurity during the pandemic. Spearheaded by its members, the campaign raised more than $1.18 million and provided more than 8 million meals through partner organizations Feeding America in the U.S. and Goonj in India.Indiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization established to transform the success of the Indian diaspora into meaningful impact worldwide. Our members are a powerful network of diaspora leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions who are committed to building stronger communities with a culture of giving and inspiring social change. Media contact:Mansi PatelSenior Manager, Communications and Outreach, Indiasporamansi@indiaspora.orgcell: 772-486-0351