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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ChaloGive for COVID-19 initiative to fight hunger reaches its initial goal of $1 million in just ten days

FOR RELEASE THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2020SEE INITIAL PRESS RELEASE ON CHALOGIVE CAMPAIGN APRIL 10, 2020 

Press Release

Indiaspora’s “ChaloGive for COVID-19” initiative to fight hunger reaches its initial goal of $1 million in just ten days from launch with an outpouring of support from the diaspora communityAtul Satija of GiveIndia and Raj and Aradhana (Anna) Asava of #HungerMitao partner with the campaignIndiaspora has reached a $1 million milestone in contributions from the diaspora community in just ten days after launching its ChaloGive for COVID-19 online giving campaign April 10 at ChaloGive.org to fight hunger. The donations are providing relief directly to vulnerable populations affected most by the coronavirus pandemic in the United States and India.The contributions given are sent to two partner organizations, Feeding America in the U.S. and Goonj in India. Feeding America has secured 4.7 million meals in the U.S. through the initiative, as each $1 contributed secures 10 meals through Feeding America’s network of 200 food banks.Goonj, which is using the funds to provide food, dry ration and hygiene kits to displaced migrant laborers in parts of eighteen states in India, has been able to provide sustenance for 106,000 migrants and their families through this giving campaign so far. Each $20 contributed to Goonj feeds a family of four for 7-10 days.“There was a huge desire in our community to help during this crisis, and we provided an easy way to give. The Indian diaspora stood up and rose to the occasion when the ultimate time of reckoning arrived,” said Indiaspora’s Executive Director, Sanjeev Joshipura. “We want to do everything we can to help our country of birth and our country of citizenship. It is not either or, it is US and India.”One of the donations that helped Indiaspora cross the $1 million threshold came from Bay-area based volunteer group Aram Sei, whose vision is to support grassroots charities worldwide in the areas of education and healthcare.“Our team of twelve members is proud to support the ChaloGive fundraiser initiative that helps us make a direct impact to those in need,” said Sangeetha Lakshminarayanan, President and Founder of Aram Sei. “We feel fortunate to be able to make a difference in our country of origin and the country we have embraced and made our home.”Indiaspora also added new partnerships for the ChaloGive campaign. In addition to former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, noted philanthropists Rohini and Nandan Nilekani, former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and actor Nandita Das, all existing “ChaloGive for COVID-19” Ambassadors, Indiaspora is excited to announce the addition of GiveIndia CEO Atul Satija, and Raj and Aradhana (Anna) Asava, the pioneers of the “HungerMitao” (wipe out hunger) movement in America, who have helped rally the diaspora community to reach the $1 million mark."Having enabled over 10 million meals to-date, HungerMitao is proud to partner with Indiaspora to raise funds for the food challenged in this time of crisis,” said Raj and Anna Asava, who both have a successful track record of partnering with food banks across North America. “HungerMitao is a grassroots initiative engaging the Indian American community in the fight against hunger through the Feeding America network of food banks.""Just as India's social indices had begun to improve, coronavirus threatens to bring 80% of India's working population - the informal sector - to its knees,” said Atul Satija, CEO of India’s largest donation platform, and Indiaspora’s India partner for ChaloGive. “We appeal to the huge Indian diaspora to support the immediate needs of hunger and reviving livelihoods before they fall back into extreme poverty, and rebuilding the lives of the less fortunate in the longer term.”The campaign at ChaloGive.org continues, with a live Facebook ChaloGive rally planned May 4 at 9 pm EST / 6 pm PST on the eve of Giving Tuesday for COVID-19.ChaloGive for COVID-19 is the second online giving campaign by Indiaspora. Its inaugural ChaloGive campaign launched October 2, 2019 on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, from October 2-8, 2019, highlighting more than 20 organizations with successful track records in areas of poverty alleviation and empowerment, health, and education.Indiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization established to transform the success of the Indian diaspora into meaningful impact worldwide. Their members are a powerful network of diaspora leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions that work to build stronger communities at home and abroad.More about our partner nonprofits:Feeding America (www.feedingamerica.org) is the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, they provide meals to more than 40 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people they serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry.Goonj (goonj.org) uses the under-utilized and excess urban household material as a tool for rural development across 23 states in India. It thus aims to bring an equitable relationship of strength, sustenance and dignity between the cities and villages. Their Rahat Covid-19 initiative uses their need-based disaster relief and rehabilitation model to engage its network of grassroots leadership and urban stakeholders to reach the most ignored communities.

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Contact: Mansi Patel

Senior Manager, Communications and Outreach

Cell: 772-486-0351

mansi@indiaspora.org