Houston, TX (April 25, 2021) – Sewa International is sending an initial shipment of 400 oxygen concentrators and other emergency medical devices and supplies to India immediately and is working on procuring more from multiple suppliers around the world to ease oxygen shortage caused by the surging numbers of COVID-19 cases in the country.

Sewa has started ‘Help India Defeat COVID-19’ campaign to ship oxygen concentrators to Indian hospitals. Sewa is also providing food and medicines to about 10,000 families and more than 1000 orphanages, and senior citizen centers across the country. Sewa is aiming to raise five million dollars for this effort.

A second wave of COVID-19 has overwhelmed India’s healthcare system and caused an acute shortage of oxygen, ventilators, and hospital beds across the country. With the number of new cases crossing 300,000 daily and a steady rise in number of fatalities, Indian hospitals are under serious stress to accommodate new patients.

“Sewa has already raised more than one million dollars to help India in its hour of need. We are getting a great response from thousands of donors and expressing a deep desire to help India overcome this crisis. We thank them for their generous and timely contribution,” said Arun Kankani, President of Sewa International.

“We are working closely with many organizations in the US to raise funds for this effort. The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) has partnered with Sewa to fund 200 oxygen concentrators. I thank Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, the AAPI president and  all the AAPI members for their crucial aid”.

“Naturally, in the current situation, many Americans are concerned about the safety of their extended families and friends living in India. Hundreds of volunteers from Sewa and our partnering organizations are working on the ground in India. Right now, our top priority is to quickly acquire oxygen concentrators and ship them to India as it can save lives. We are also helping a few hospitals to extend their capacity to treat more COVID-19 patients,” Arun Kankani said.

“Sewa is building a Digital Helpdesk to provide critical information on ambulance services, hospital bed availability, and blood and medicinal supplies to people. We need not despair as India has many resources, but we can still help people win their fight against COVID-19,” said Swadesh Katoch, Sewa’s Vice President for Disaster Recovery.

“As part of its ongoing COVID-19 relief work in the US, Sewa has partnered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to conduct vaccination drives across the country. We are also distributing thousands of pounds of food in Houston and the San Francisco Bay area,” Swadesh said. 

About Sewa International

Sewa International (www.sewausa.org) is a 501 (c)(3) Hindu faith-based charitable nonprofit that works in the areas of disaster recovery, education, and development. Sewa has 43 Chapters across the USA and serves regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin.                                                                                                                               

 

Houston USA), Apr 16: Houston City Mayor Sylvester Turner, along with Council Member of District F, Tiffany Thomas, are proclaiming April 13, 2021 as "Sewa International Day". Gitesh Desai, President of Sewa Houston Chapter, received the Proclamation in a virtual session streamed live from Houston City Hall, PRNewswire reported.

Sewa International (www.sewausa.org) is a Hindu faith-based charitable non-profit organization that works in the areas of disaster recovery, education, and development. Sewa has 43 Chapters across the USA and serves regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin.

Mayor Turner's Proclamation highlights the work of hundreds of Sewa International volunteers who have dedicated to serving the many communities across the great city of Houston, its suburbs, and areas surrounding it. The Proclamation highlights the work of Sewa International in response to the recent Winter Storm Uri that left the city reeling. Frigid weather led to power shutdowns, frozen water pipes, and flooding. On the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, the storm aggravated the already difficult conditions in the city. The Proclamation lauds the work of Sewa Volunteers and Houston Chapter Coordinator, Nikhil Jain.

“It is an honor to be recognized for our work. We are citizens of this great city, and we will do everything in our power to serve this city that has given us so much. We serve all, and we work with all. I am thrilled that Mayor Turner and Council Member Thomas have given us both the opportunity to serve as well as recognizing the work we do,” said Gitesh Desai, President of the Houston Chapter of Sewa International.

The Proclamation offers details of the work Sewa volunteers carried out in response to Winter Storm Uri, including distributing 430,000 pounds of food, more than 10,000 litters of water, serving more than 12,500 families in food drives in various locations of the city including Sharpstown, Belliare, Rosharon, Brookshire, Hillcroft, Alief, Baytown, and Pearland.

“We live in challenging times. Over the past few years Houston has faced several emergencies and disasters, from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey to Winter Storm Uri, with the pandemic exacerbating it all. Sewa International's guiding principle is ‘Sarve janah sukhinau bhavantu’ -- may all be happy – and we strive to alleviate problems faced by people, especially the underserved, in communities across the country and around the globe. We serve without expecting any reward – following the principle of ‘nishkama karma’ – working without seeking the fruits thereof – but the recognition from the Mayor of the city that I live in, and work in, makes me indeed proud of the volunteers I lead,” said Arun Kankani, President, Sewa International.

“April 13, this year, is also celebrated in India as Ugadi and Gudi Padwa, the beginning of a new year as per the Hindu luni-solar calendar. I wish Mayor Turner, Council Member Thomas, all the officers and staff in Mayor Turner's office, and all citizens of this great city of Houston, a Happy New Year.”

Houston, TX (February 28, 2021): Sewa International raised over $60,000 for Uttarakhand relief efforts while its volunteers continue to serve the victims of the massive flash floods caused by the Glacier Burst on February 7. The floods have claimed 60 lives and affected more than 200 families so far.

The search and rescue operations have continued but hopes of recovering people alive from the flooded sites are receding fast. Government officials of the Indian state announced recently that 136 of the missing people will be declared dead. The sudden surge of water in the rivers Alaknanda and Dhauliganga severely damaged 12 villages on their banks and washed away homes, temples, and animals within a span of a couple of hours.

The first alert about the disaster came from Sewa’s volunteer Manvar Rawat’s live video from Tapovan, a village damaged by the floods. His video, shared within half-hour of the glacier burst, has been watched by more than 3.7 million people and most national and international media agencies have used the same video in their news coverage. 

Sewa has been conducting many development projects for farmers, women, and children for the last few years in Chamoli District where the ruined villages are located. Currently, over 150 of its volunteers are on the ground serving meals to the needy, assisting rescue operations, arranging health checkups, and giving a helping hand to families that lost their loved ones and livelihood. 

A community kitchen operated by Sewa is serving meals to about 300 people a day. Over 350 blankets and 300 grocery kits have been distributed so far and homestay/shelter has been arranged for the needy. Sewa volunteers are also conducting a survey in flood-affected villages to find out the needs of the people. 

Rebuilding Plan

Sewa volunteers have prepared a three-year relief and rebuilding plan with an estimated budget of over $300,000. This plan includes trauma counseling, environmental rehabilitation, and skill development. Commissioning a medical van, supporting community farming, and providing seed money to an estimated 300 people to start their business are part of the plan.

Hundreds of trees were uprooted by the floods, and Sewa International wants to plant about 5,000 saplings and care for them until they grow and work as natural shields to prevent future avalanches and landslides. 

About Sewa International

Sewa International, https://sewausa.org/, a leading Hindu faith-based nonprofit organization, has extensive experience in disaster rescue, relief, and rehabilitation operations having responded to 24 disasters in the US and abroad.

Houston, TX (February 24, 2021): Sewa International distributed over 43,000 pounds of food and hundreds of gallons of drinking water on Saturday, February 20 to families affected by winter storm Uri in Houston. 

Sewa is planning to distribute a truckload (43,000 pounds) of food every weekend for the next several months. These food drives are part of the COVID-19 and winter storm Uri relief efforts. “More than a million pounds of food will be distributed by the end of these drives,” said Nikhil Jain, Sewa’s Houston Chapter Coordinator. 

Sewa partnered with Alief School District, International Management District, and Houston Assistance Ministry to conduct the food drive. Cars lined up two to three miles before the drive started at 9 AM.

Sewa volunteers swung into action as they started receiving calls about burst pipes, flooding of homes, and lack of heating. With a plumber’s help they were immediately able to fix leaks in about 13 homes over the weekend. Sewa shared a list of more than 500 plumbers serving different areas of Houston with the community desperate for quick, skilled help.   

A young couple with an eight-month pregnant wife, and an elderly couple did not have drinking water and electricity. Sewa volunteers were quick to respond and help. The elderly couple was provided a host family to ride out the storm. Another elderly woman living alone was one of the many that Sewa helped with either accommodation or food and water. In another instance, Sewa arranged for oxygen canisters for a 90-year-old man when his wife called for help. Volunteers also supplied dehumidifiers and fans as well as food, water, and other essentials. When it was not safe to drive, they found people in the neighborhood to supply water and food to needy families.

Sewa volunteers began sharing critical information with the community a week ahead of the storm. “Most queries we received were about the right thing to do during the storm. We provided clear answers to these questions,” Nikhil Jain said.  

Sewa is partnering with OneStar Foundation, the State Service Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service for Texas since 2003, which administers the AmeriCorps program. Sewa is the only organization specialized in disaster management in the OneStar portfolio in Texas. Eighteen AmeriCorps volunteers are working with Sewa helping coordinate disaster relief efforts.  

“This Arctic blast has shown us that natural disasters and crises can strike at any moment. We are ready to serve the distressed and the underserved in our communities, and we will continue to monitor the needs of our communities, and provide help,” said Nikhil Jain. 

 

About Sewa International

Sewa International, https://sewausa.org/, a leading Hindu faith-based nonprofit organization, has extensive experience in disaster rescue, relief, and rehabilitation operations having responded to 24 disasters in the US and abroad.

Houston, TX (February 7, 2021): Congressman Ami Bera was the Chief Guest at the unveiling of Sewa International’s report, showcasing the $50 million impact the Hindu faith-based organization has had, partnering with more than 500 other Hindu American organizations since early March last year. The report, titled “Joining Hands: A Community Effort to Fight the COVID-19 Pandemic,” was released at a virtual event on Saturday, February 6, 2021. “What a commendable effort, and what a fine example of bringing organizations together to serve the country during the pandemic,” said Congressman Bera, Chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the longest-serving Indian American Member of the U.S. Congress.

Representatives from national emergency and disaster management organizations took part in a roundtable discussion. They said that community and disaster relief organizations can join hands and leverage the help and expertise of the national organizations. Participating in the discussion were Gina Cross, the Acting Director of AmeriCorps NCCC, Dinusha Weerakkody, Emergency Management Specialist of FEMA, Carol Flores, Texas DCMP Grant Coordinator of NVOAD, and Damian Morales, Manager of Disaster Services, OneStar Foundation. Prof. Anurag Mairal, Adjunct Professor of Medicine and the Director, Global Outreach Programs at Stanford Byers Center for Biodesign, Stanford University, moderated the roundtable discussion.

Commending Sewa International through a video message was Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who said that “Sewa International represents the best what America has to offer”. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the city was “thankful for Sewa’s work and charitable contributions,” and that Sewa had over the past fifteen years grown from a small to a mid-size charity organization and been recognized by The Houston Chronicle as “one of the top 100 charitable organizations in Houston”.

The Sewa International report identifies 125 of the more than 500 organizations that Sewa volunteers worked with across the country raising money, distributing food, face masks and other PPE, offering help to stranded international students and travelers, participating in food and PPE drives, offering hot meals to the hungry, and managing ten hotlines responding to calls for help from around the world. “We did not know what would be demanded of us in this pandemic situation. It was a first-time experience in dealing with the kind of medical/health disaster that has affected the whole world. We believe we have made a difference in our local communities, across our forty chapters, in 28 states, around the country,” said Arun Kankani, President, Sewa International, inaugurating the session.

“Disbursing more than $2 million that were raised through direct donations and government and institutional grants, and distributing about $50 million worth of food, PPE, medical supplies, and groceries, serving more than 750,000 people in big cities and small towns, our 5,000 volunteers from 28 states have made a bold statement about selfless service,” said Syam Kosigi, Vice President, Organization, Sewa International. “

About Sewa International

Sewa International, a leading Hindu faith-based Indian American nonprofit organization, has extensive experience in disaster rescue, relief, and rehabilitation operations having responded to 24 disasters in the US and abroad over the past decade.  

For more information on Sewa International and its activities, please visit www.sewausa.org.

 

 

 

 

Fremont, CA (July 22, 2020): Sewa International’s Bay Area Chapter organized a luncheon for 500 frontline workers from Kaiser Permanente in Fremont, CA on Wednesday, July 22 to thank them for their hard work and sacrifices in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Sewa’s young volunteers collected over $20,000 to fund the luncheon as part of their LEAD summer leadership program. They raised this amount by hosting online games, teaching AMC Math, and coaching middle schoolers for the Math Olympiad.

“During these trying and unprecedented times, these amazing individuals from Kaiser Permanente have shown us the power of self-sacrifice for the sake of society and for those in need.  As a college student, I personally feel the anxiety that is growing across  society, but the frontline workers from Kaiser have demonstrated that any obstacle can be overcome if we all come together to support and help each other.  I am excited that Sewa has given me an opportunity to serve these wonderful people in this fashion today,” said Sewa youth volunteer Sarvesh Aiyagari.  

 “Sewa was very generous and kind to donate and help the community during this pandemic,” said Sheridan Loyd, Associate Medical Group Administrator at Kaiser, Fremont who thanked Sewa for the luncheon and commended  Sewa for  bringing some solace to the population gripped by fear and uncertainty.

Students Get Into Action                                                     

Sewa’s high school and college volunteers have taken part in many COVID-19 relief efforts in the Bay Area.  They have provided dinner to people at the Martinez Shelter for a week, donated baby food to a nursery in Concord, donated school supplies to children in Oroville and Concow, and donated masks and face shields to various hospitals and schools.  

Prior to this event, the Bay Area chapter had donated more than 75,000 KN95 and N95 surgical masks and face shields to beneficiary institutes including the United States Postal Service, Valley Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, San Ramon Police Department, City of Sunnyvale, and City of Cupertino, among others.  The Bay Area chapter has also played an instrumental role in helping stranded passengers and students.  

Nationwide, Sewa has distributed over 650,000 masks, 1,000 liters of sanitizer, 63,000 hot meals, and donated over $100,0000 to food pantries during this COVID-19 crisis.  More than 3,000 volunteers across 43 chapters from 28 states have worked in collaboration with over 250 Indian American community organizations across the country to support frontline workers, families, and individuals in need. In addition, Sewa International has set up ten national helpline centers to field and monitor calls for help and information. Through the information received via these helplines, Sewa International launched the Plasma Registry Drive which led to successful registry matches for four COVID-19 patients. 

For more information on Sewa International’s efforts to support communities nationwide during the COVID-19 crisis, please visit https://sewausa.org/covid-19.  

 About Sewa International

Sewa International, a leading Hindu faith-based Indian American nonprofit organization, has extensive experience in disaster rescue, relief, and rehabilitation operations having responded to 25 disasters in the US and abroad. In 2017, after Hurricane Harvey struck the Houston area, Sewa volunteers helped in the rescue of nearly 700 people, and have served thousands of affected families since then through their case management service. Sewa raised over $3 million for Hurricane Harvey recovery, Sewa continues to rebuild houses, and, greenhouses that serve as a means of livelihood. Sewa International has also rendered relief in the wake of hurricane Maria in 2018 and Hurricane Imelda in 2019. Sewa teams in the San Francisco Bay Area continue to build and donate tiny homes for those rendered homeless in California Camp Fire of November 2018.

Among its other accolades, Sewa International has been recognized by Charity Navigator – the premier nonprofit rating agency – as the number five among the “10 Highly Rated Charities Relying on Private Contributions.” Sewa has for the last three years continuously scored the topmost-rated 4-star from Charity Navigator, and has earned perfect scores for its Financial Health and Accountability & Transparency. 

Houston, TX (July 18, 2020): Meeting virtually for their annual conference this year, in the context of COVID-19, and with the highest attendance of nearly 300 people, Sewa International reported a record fundraising effort – raising $8.3 million in 2019, as per initial estimates. It spent $128,032 in general and administrative expenses, and $168,354 in fundraising expenses. The general and administrative expenses amount to 1.5 percent of the total funds raised by Sewa International. “A charity of our size would, at a minimum, have 12 to 18 percent of such expenses. We are unique in that regard in the US, may be internationally,” said outgoing president, Prof. Sree Sreenath.

The annual event, which this year was scheduled to be held in Washington, DC, in early May, had to be postponed and held virtually. “We have conducted successful national meetings around the country, but this has been a new experience, and it challenged us to learn how to use technology successfully in this virtual conference,” said Sewa’s Vice President for Technology, Anil Deshpande.

            Prof. Sree Sreenath, who served as President of Sewa International for eleven years, from 2009 to 2020, announced that Sewa’s Board of Directors had accepted his resignation and he was handing over the role and responsibilities to Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Arun Kankani, whom the Board had selected as the organization’s new president. “It is a bittersweet moment that I share with you all my resignation from the responsibility of President of Sewa International. The relationship with you all has been a long, fruitful, and intimate. Together we solved many problems, fought many battles, took up many intimidating challenges, and in the end, we came out victorious,” he said as he presented the 2019 Annual Report. “I have been asking to be relieved from Sewa President's responsibility for the last five years so that new leadership can take Sewa to further heights. Arun Kankani will take my place effective immediately. He is a terrific organizer and a fabulous leader. His discipline and steadfastness are legendary. I am proud to pass the baton over to him,” he said as the nearly 300 attendees expressed their admiration of his leadership, and their love and support for him. “It has been a great eleven years serving Sewa working and working alongside with you. Our hard work paid off for Sewa. I feel fortunate for having journeyed together on this quest to serve humanity. I have learned many important lessons from all of you,” he told the Sewa volunteers, executive leadership, advisory board, and staff -- virtual attendees spread across the US, India, Colombia, and other parts of the world. “I am accepting the position of President of Vivekananda Yoga University, VaYU, Los Angeles, CA, but Sewa will still be my first love,” he said separately. VaYU is offering a unique Online 21-month MS (Yoga) program.

(Prof. Sree Sreenath, outgoing Sewa International President; he has now taken on the role of President, Vivekananda Yoga University in Los Angeles, CA)

  Arun Kankani, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, who will now take charge as the new President of Sewa International, is no stranger to leading large teams and innovative ventures. Accepting his new role as President of Sewa International, he said, “We shall certainly miss the energy and enthusiasm of Prof. Sree Sreenath. He will continue to be part of the executive team as Ex-President and will continue the great tradition of Sewa International where former presidents will continue as members of the Board of Advisors”. In his day job, Arun Kankani is the Director of Inventory Management at Star Pipe Products in Houston, TX. He earned a master’s in computer applications from the University of Mumbai.

            Arun Kankani is one of the founding members of Sewa International, which was formed in 2004. He has been involved in Sewa’s nationwide expansion as a prominent charitable organization involved in disaster relief and rehabilitation; family services; child, tribal, and refugee welfare; women’s empowerment; health and education; and promoting volunteerism. In 2012, Kankani discussed with a multitude of experts the problems faced by families, and the different support models that were available to them in times of crises and trouble. He was involved in formulating and implementing the Family Services program at Sewa that now supports and responds to various unexpected family situations such as death, hospitalization, mental health issues, and relationship issues. In 2013, he helped build the foundation for the ASPIRE program in Houston, where he resides. The ASPIRE program provides after-school educational support in collaboration with the local school system in underprivileged neighborhoods to help children learn well and the schools and school districts improve their success rates.

(Arun Kankani, Director of Inventory Management, Star Pipe Products, Houston, TX, has been appointed as Sewa International’s new President)

   Kankani was chosen to be the head of operations for the largest community reception in Houston for a visiting foreign dignitary – the “Howdy Modi” event in 2019. The event was attended by both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump. As the Head of Operations for the “Howdy Modi” event, Arun Kankani led a team of over 1,200 volunteers who worked together to organize the event that attracted 50,000 people from around the country. He and his team had to get the work done in three months, and for his successful effort he received a letter of gratitude from the Ambassador of India to the United States. Earlier in 2015, he was also invited by the Indian External Affairs Ministry to discuss the needs of overseas Indians.

            In his report to the attendees at the national conference, Prof. Sree Sreenath said that during his eleven-year tenure Sewa had seen annual revenues increase from $325,000 in 2009 to $8.3 million in 2019; the number of chapters increase from five to 43; the number of national team members increase from two to 62; the number of volunteers increase from less than a hundred to 3,000; and the number of volunteer hours recorded per year rise from 100s to 180,000. He said that he and his team were able to show that an untested brand such as a “Hindu faith-based nonprofit organization” can be successful and thrive, and not just survive. “We have also shown that the entire middle and upper management can be volunteers – from Chapter Coordinators, Chapter Presidents, National Directors, Vice Presidents, Executive-VP to the President. We have no designated headquarters. We have made a name for Sewa in ‘Disaster Recovery’, and we helped start Sewa Nepal, Sewa Pakistan & Sewa Bangladesh,” he recounted with pride. “We know we have worked hard and dedicated ourselves to service in the true spirit of volunteerism, and as per our guiding principles of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family), and Sarve Bhavantu Sukinah (may all be happy). But it also gives us satisfaction that our work is recognized by agencies that rate and rank nonprofits. We have earned the maximum four-star rating by Charity Navigator; we have earned perfect 100 scores in ‘Accountability & Transparency’ and ‘Financial Health’ categories; we have been ranked in the ‘10 Highly Rated Charities Relying on Private Contributions’; we have been awarded the Platinum rank by Great Nonprofits; earned the Seal of Transparency by GuideStar; and the Better Business Bureau has rated us as an Accredited Charity”.

            The day’s events started with traditional prayers and lighting of the lamp. Prof. Subhash Kak, Regents Professor at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK, the chief guest, in his address to the attendees spoke about India’s traditions of giving and sharing, and how in these challenging times Sewa is showcasing the best in serving humanity without any discrimination or prejudice. In his concluding remarks, Saumitra Gokhale, Global Coordinator for the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, spoke of the guiding principles of Sewa International and how the good work done is for humanity and not for selfish reasons. “While we do take pride in what we do and what we have accomplished, our true calling is serving the world selflessly,” he said.  

 About Sewa International

Sewa International, a leading Hindu faith-based Indian American nonprofit organization, has extensive experience in disaster rescue, relief, and rehabilitation operations having responded to 25 disasters in the US and abroad. In 2017, after Hurricane Harvey struck the Houston area, Sewa volunteers helped in the rescue of nearly 700 people, and have served thousands of affected families since then through their case management service. Sewa raised over $3 million for Hurricane Harvey recovery, Sewa continues to rebuild houses, and, greenhouses that serve as a means of livelihood. Sewa International has also rendered relief in the wake of hurricane Maria in 2018 and Hurricane Imelda in 2019. Sewa teams in the San Francisco Bay Area continue to build and donate tiny homes for those rendered homeless in California Camp Fire of November 2018.

Among its other accolades, Sewa International has been recognized by Charity Navigator – the premier nonprofit rating agency – as the number five among the “10 Highly Rated Charities Relying on Private Contributions.” Sewa has for the last three years continuously scored the topmost-rated 4-star from Charity Navigator, and has earned perfect scores for its Financial Health and Accountability & Transparency. 

 

Sewa volunteers with Nam Giao restaurant owner and  military personnel in San Jose, California

San Jose, CA (June 25, 2020): Sewa International’s Bay Area Chapter distributed hot meals, groceries, and hygiene kits to more than 1000 people as well as schools-supply kits to children in a drive through distribution event held at the Nam Giao Restaurant in San Jose, CA on Friday, June 19 as part of its extensive COVID-19 relief efforts. This community outreach is part of Sewa International’s goal to distribute 75,000 meals and 750,000 masks to those in need nationwide. 

“During these trying and unprecedented times, we move forward with the understanding that establishing a support structure for the well-being of all is of paramount importance. When we all come together with the idea that no one should go hungry or suffer because of lack of basic resources, then the whole society prospers,” said Guru Prasad, Sewa International Bay Area Chapter Coordinator.

“We distributed hot meals as well as grocery and hygiene kits to homeless shelters and senior citizen homes. These meals were graciously donated by Nam Giao restaurant,” said Mr. Prasad. 

In addition to the meals and groceries distributed in  this drive-through event, Sewa International also donated more than 1,000 masks including KN95, surgical masks, and face shields  to Washington Hospital, Tri-Valley Health in Hayward, Heartland Hospice Services, and San Quentin Prison as well as another 250 hot meals to the HomeFirst Shelter for the homeless.

Sewa International volunteers preparing for food distribution in San Jose, CA.

Boxes of surgical gloves and face shields ready for distribution

California Assemblyman Kansen Chu was present during the drive.  Organizations such as Sleeping Bags for the Homeless of Silicon Valley, Philips Creek Ranch, Bengaluru Voice, Trivalley Kannada Sangha, Rajasthani Association of North America, and Friends of Hue participated in the drive. 

Mr. Chu expressed his gratitude saying, “It is really an honor to be here with Sewa and many other organizations to join hands to provide food, sleeping bags to the needy families in the East Side of San Jose.  During this pandemic, so many families are suffering, including the owner of this restaurant who  had to close down the restaurant, and so the fact that we have people from the community, from Sewa, that come out and help out with face masks and protective equipment and food that was already delivered has really touched my heart.”

Over the past month, the Bay Area chapter distributed almost 6,000 meals and 7,000 masks to individuals impacted by COVID-19. The Bay Area chapter has also played an instrumental role in helping stranded passengers and students.  In addition, 50,000 KN95, N95, surgical masks and face shields were donated to organizations  including the United States Postal Service, Valley Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, San Ramon Police Department, City of Sunnyvale, and the City of Cupertino, among  others.

At this juncture, Sewa International has donated over 650,000 masks, 1,000 liters of sanitizer, 63,000 hot meals, and over $100,000 to food pantries in response to the COVID-19 crisis.  Through the hard work of more than 2,500 volunteers across 43 chapters and in collaboration with over 800 organizations across the country, Sewa International has committed to supporting essential workers and service industries in these trying times.  In addition, Sewa International has set up eleven   national helpline centers to field and monitor all calls for help and information. Through the information received via these helplines, Sewa International launched the Plasma Registry Drive which led to successful registry matches for four COVID-19 patients. 

For more information on Sewa International’s efforts to support communities nationwide during the COVID-19 crisis, please visit https://sewausa.org/covid-19.   

About Sewa International

Sewa International, a leading Hindu faith based, Indian American nonprofit organization, has extensive experience in disaster rescue, relief, and rehabilitation operations having responded to 24 disasters in the US and abroad. In 2017, after Hurricane Harvey struck the Houston area, Sewa volunteers helped in the rescue of nearly 700 people, and have served thousands of affected families since then through their case management service. Sewa raised over $3 million for Hurricane Harvey recovery, Sewa continues to rebuild houses, and, greenhouses that serve as a means of livelihood. Sewa International has also rendered relief in the wake of hurricane Maria in 2018 and Hurricane Imelda in 2019. Sewa teams in the San Francisco Bay Area continue to build and donate tiny homes for those rendered homeless in California Camp Fire of November 2018.

Among its other accolades, Sewa International has been recognized by Charity Navigator – the premier nonprofit rating agency – as the number five among the “10 Highly Rated Charities Relying on Private Contributions.” Sewa has for the last three years continuously scored the topmost-rated 4-star from Charity Navigator, and has earned perfect scores for its Financial Health and Accountability & Transparency. 

For more information on Sewa International and its activities, please visit http://www.sewausa.org. For more information on Sewa International’s efforts to support communities nationwide during the COVID-19 crisis, please visit https://sewausa.org/covid-19.

Sewa International’s Houston Chapter Distributes 100,000 Pounds of Food to the Needy

Sewa volunteers distributed food kits at Catalina Apartments in Houston, TX. 

Houston, (June 23, 2020): Entering the second phase of the COVID-19 relief efforts, Sewa International’s Houston Chapter has distributed more than 100,000 pounds of food in the Greater Houston area partnering closely with 15 community organizations.

“Sewa organized 15 food drives in the past seven weeks in Houston’s various low-income neighborhoods and served more than 3,400 families by giving them food kits containing 30 pounds or more food. We are conducting our food drives in the apartment complexes where the most vulnerable communities live,” said Gitesh Desai, Sewa’s Houston Chapter President.

“Sewa is planning to have these drives every weekend for the next few weeks. On Saturday, June 27, food & mask distributions are planned from 10 to 11 AM in Shri Govindaji Gaudiya Matha on Kieth Harrow Blvd, Arrowood Apartments on South Course Drive, and Villa Adora Apartments on Beechnut St in Houston,” said Rashmi Singh & Yash Havalimane, Sewa’s Lead for Food drive.

Sewa volunteers distributing food kits to families in an apartment complex in Houston, TX.

Phenomenal Support

“The kind of support we are getting from other Indian American community organizations for the food drive is phenomenal. Reflecting the age-old Hindu tradition of “Anna Daan” (providing food to the needy), many Hindu Temples, religious and cultural organizations and altruistic individuals from the community have joined hands with us to serve the underserved,” said Nikhil Jain, Sewa’s Houston Chapter Coordinator.

“Nationally, Sewa has distributed more than 635,000 masks and other protective materials to physicians, healthcare staff and to the first responders such as police officers and firefighters in the last 12 weeks. As hunger spreads through the communities due to the economic impact of the pandemic, we are moving into the next stage to ensure that people do not go hungry,” said Achalesh Amar, Sewa’s Director of Disaster Relief.

Sewa conducted the biggest drive at Catalina Apartments in association with International Management District, Shree Nathji's Haveli VPSS and Brighter Bites on Saturday, June 21 and distributed 400 food kits containing beans, pasta, sauce, rice, sugar, etc. Hubert Vo, Member, House District 149, Texas House of Representatives, and Houston Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas (District F) participated in the drive.

In the drive held at the Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir, 250 families received food kits. At the Sri Meenakshi Temple event, 250 food kits were distributed, and India’s Consul General in Houston, Aseem Mahajan, and Texas House Member, Ed Thompson, participated. In Richmond, TX food drives in four apartment complexes were conducted by Sewa and Katy Youth Cricket. Fort Bend County Judge, KP George, visited these complexes and motivated residents.

Gujrati Samaj, Shree Nathji's Haveli VPSS, Chinmaya Mission, and Vadtal Dham Shree Swaminarayan Hindu Temple joined hands with Sewa to distribute 16,500 pounds of food in three apartment complexes and in a drive-through event. In all of these drives several hundred pounds of vegetables and fruits and hundreds of gallons of milk and masks was distributed.

Many organizations from Houston -- Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Shree Nathji's Haveli VPSS, Sri Meenakshi Temple, Sanatan Shiv Shakti Mandir, Chinmaya Mission, Vedanta Society, Vadtal Dham Shree Swaminarayan Hindu Temple , Hindu Worship Society, Gujarati Samaj, Katy Youth Cricket, Brighter Bites, Hindus for America, Maheshwari Mahasabha of North America (MMNA), Sant Nirankari Mission, Sneha Hastham, Southwest District, International Management District , Telica, Umang Mehta of Deep Foods, Pankaj & Rupali Maheshwari, Mrugesh & Pallavi Parikh – sponsored and worked closely with Sewa International to conduct these food drives.

About Sewa International

Sewa International, a leading Hindu faith based, Indian American nonprofit organization, has extensive experience in disaster rescue, relief, and rehabilitation operations having responded to 24 disasters in the US and abroad. In 2017, after Hurricane Harvey struck the Houston area, Sewa volunteers helped in the rescue of nearly 700 people, and have served thousands of affected families since then through their case management service. Sewa raised over $3 million for Hurricane Harvey recovery, Sewa continues to rebuild houses, and, greenhouses that serve as a means of livelihood. Sewa International has also rendered relief in the wake of hurricane Maria in 2018 and Hurricane Imelda in 2019. Sewa teams in the San Francisco Bay Area continue to build and donate tiny homes for those rendered homeless in California Camp Fire of November 2018.

Among its other accolades, Sewa International has been recognized by Charity Navigator – the premier nonprofit rating agency – as the number five among the “10 Highly Rated Charities Relying on Private Contributions.” Sewa has for the last three years continuously scored the topmost-rated 4-star from Charity Navigator, and has earned perfect scores for its Financial Health and Accountability & Transparency.

For more information on Sewa International and its activities, please visit http://www.sewausa.org . For more information on Sewa International’s efforts to support communities nationwide during the COVID-19 crisis, please visit https://sewausa.org/covid-19 .