Please watch the videos below to see our partner NGO’s in action.

Village Upliftment: Lokmitras Ensure Children in Village Are Cared For

Lokmitras often look out for village children like Anil and Vishnu, who are forced by circumstance to largely care for themselves and depend on the generosity of others for meals and income.

Women Empowerment: Project Launches to Empower Women in Kashmir

The “Saamartya – Power of Girls” project, supported by Share & Care, was launched in Kashmir to empower girls as community leaders. The project works to fight gender inequality and reaffirm the belief that girls can do anything.

Educate 2 Success: Supporting Highschool Students In Rural India

Share & Care empowers students in four state rural districts (Maharashtra, Madya Pradesh, Orissa & Rajasthan) by ensuring they have the supplies and support necessary to complete their education.

Healthcare 2 Unreached: Providing Medical Care in Rural Villages

Share & Care helps provide healthcare to underserved rural areas of the state of Manipur in India through mobile medical clinics, healthcare for mothers and children, and medical education within the community.

Nirmal Village Program: Lokmitras Reach Out to Communities

Lokmitras (“friends of the people”) offer relief, education, and mentorship in their villages in Gujarat. With the backing of Share & Care, they provide much-needed supplies and support.

Educate 2 Graduate: Making College Education a Reality

For some students like Manimegalai, in TamilNadu, the path to higher education is out of reach without the financial support of Share & Care. Through scholarship funding, she and students like her have a pathway to success.

The post Glimpses of Our Work in India appeared first on Share & Care Foundation.

Every year we set goals to better serve those in need, and 2020 was no different. We started 2020 with a plan to help 94,920 people through our lifesaving signature programs. We knew it was a big challenge, but we were up for the task.

But then, the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe, and we had to shift many of our plans to focus on addressing the most urgent needs facing our beneficiaries in the U.S. and India. Although 2020 was a difficult year for all of us, we are proud of what we accomplished.

In 2020 our grants of 1.5 million dollars in cash and kind helped approximately 110,000 people in our Disaster Relief, Women Empowerment, Education, Healthcare, and Village Upliftment programs.

38th Annual Gala: Over Half a Million in Funds Raised

The theme of our 38th Annual Gala — “Rising Together” — recognized the changes and challenges presented by the pandemic and honored the bonds of humanity and hope that connect communities around the world. Due to COVID-19 this was our first-ever virtual gala in which all could participate.

The evening included a short film outlining our COVID-19 disaster relief efforts and our ongoing Signature Programs. There was an outpouring of support including warm wishes from Padma Shri Ashaji Parekh and from Congressman Frank Pallone, who recalled a trip to India and thanked Share & Care for the organization’s extensive COVID-19 disaster relief efforts.

“COVID has been a big issue in India. Lots of people have died, especially poor people, because all of them cannot afford to be in the hospital. I think Share & Care has picked up this issue and I am very happy that they are doing such good work for India at this time.” — Padma Shri Ashaji Parekh

“I’ve been associated with Share & Care over the years and like the fact that it also encourages a strong partnership in its mission to bring together India and the United States. One of the unique and particularly admirable aspects of Share & Care Foundation is the grassroots effort it supports in promoting development in India.” — Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr.

Our first-ever virtual gala, curated by global performer Parthiv Gohil (left), also featured entertainment from Manasi Parekh-Gohil, Sudesh Bhosle, Bhoomi Trivedi, and Jahnvi Shrimankar.

Sari Collection Drive Benefits More than 12,000 Families Per Year

In early 2020, we began collecting saris and matching blouses to create 10 sari banks in Gujarat for underprivileged women. Operating like libraries, these banks allow women to borrow garments at no cost for special occasions, then return the items after dry cleaning. In total, we received more than 4,800 items valued at over $320,900.

As humans, the way we look and the clothes we wear deeply influence our self-confidence. We are honored to provide this dignity for our beneficiaries in marginalized communities. Our special thanks to all the donors for this project.

COVID-19 Disaster Relief: Turning Compassion Into Action

When the pandemic took hold, our Disaster Relief Committee jumped to action. By July 30, 2020, we had already allocated $300,000 in disaster relief funding and partnered with 16 NGOs to reach thousands of people in the U.S and India — including more than 7,500 struggling families. We distributed grocery kits to families in need, served hot meals to families and daily wage earners, distributed healthcare items such as soap and masks, and served thousands of meals to local healthcare heroes. In December 2020, we also worked with Livingston Lions Club to provide more than 5,000 food boxes for local New Jersey citizens affected by food insecurity and economic instability. In 2021, we are remaining committed to providing relief and rehabilitation to those affected by the pandemic.

Creating Opportunities Through Women Empowerment

We exceeded a pledge, made during our 37th Annual Gala in 2019, to empower 20,200 women in 2020. By November, even during difficult times, we had empowered 24,192 women through our programs which provide safety and self-defense training, gender equality education, livelihood skills, character building, and leadership workshops for marginalized women. A donation of $500 to our Women Empowerment program empowers five marginalized female students with safe lodging, education, and training for personal growth.

Village Upliftment Proves that Real Change Comes From Within

Our Village Upliftment program is empowering about 50,000 people by placing trained Lok Mitras (“friends of the people”) in 12 villages throughout India. Living alongside the people they serve, Lok Mitras provide moral support while also applying their training to create sustainable, positive change within their villages.

In response to COVID-19, they have helped to educate villagers about the virus, organized efforts to implement social distancing, set up sanitation stations, and handed out “Grocery Kits of Gratitude” to more than 1,000 families when food became scarce. A donation of $5,000 empowers one village and up to 5,000 individual villagers.

Healthcare 2 Unreached Expands Access for Remote and Underserved Communities

Share & Care continues the fight toward reversing the healthcare challenges facing today’s marginalized poor.

Key achievements in 2020 include: delivering life-saving nutrients and raising awareness to benefit 5,000 women and children in Rajasthan; addressing a shortage of health professionals and poor local governance in Gujarat; bringing a comprehensive community health program to 25 villages in Maharashtra; and helping 100 women in Tamil Nadu through a program addressing the socio-demographic factors affecting pregnancy. Lastly, in five Manipur villages, we provided ongoing essential health services to children and women. A donation of $100 to our H2U program empowers one mother and her child with pre- and post-natal care.

Women “adopted” through our H2U Pregnancy and Maternal Care project receive medical and nutritional support.

With Educate 2 Success, Learning Is Not on Lockdown

As part of our 2020 goals, we aimed to reach 4,050 students across nine village schools in Gujarat through a program designed to create an educational pathway to current and future job markets for secondary and high school students. As the coronavirus took hold, we adjusted our support, enabling our partners to identify and act on solutions to fit with the world’s challenges. To accommodate social distancing and other safety guidelines, teachers shifted to a virtual learning model, incorporating conference calls with students and home “visits” via telephone or video. A donation of $130 empowers one at-risk child under age 13 with a secondary education.

In some regions, E2S sessions were conducted effectively in their respective villages while practicing all safety norms like social distancing, wearing masks, and using sanitizer.

Young Professional Committee

The Young Professional Committee (YPC) is a group with a mission to volunteer and fundraise for the causes Share & Care supports while fostering a community of young professionals to connect.

Kids4Kids

Kids4Kids (K4K) is a committee hosted for students by students (ages 13-18), with a vision to help underprivileged children in India receive the education they deserve. Before the pandemic started, each member recruited three new members, which increased the total funds raised. These funds provided an additional 23 students in India with tuition and school supplies and raised the total number of children educated to 255. They also raised $2,900 to benefit COVID-19 relief, and pivoted their events to be social-distance friendly, hosting activities such as a virtual yoga class and a walking challenge to raise funds for those in need.

Educate 2 Graduate Continues Blazing New Beginnings for Impoverished Families

Our Educate to Graduate program fosters secure futures for brilliant students from low-income families. Seventy-three students were enrolled in the 2019-2020 school year. Although there were some delays in college opening due to COVID-19, the admission process began smoothly with several colleges now operating on a digital platform.

We are putting increased emphasis on supplementary skill development to improve job prospects upon graduation. Of the 1,614 E2G beneficiaries so far, more than 850 graduates are already employed in well-paying jobs. A donation of $1,000 empowers one bright, low-income student with a college scholarship.

Your donation makes a brighter future possible for families who come from generational cycles of poverty. They can do it, and we can help!

There Are Far, Far Better Things Ahead Than Any We Leave Behind

2020 was tough, but Share & Care made a way. We served:

• The widow with no means or education to provide for her family.
• The young girl living with sexual abuse as part of a traditional and still-tolerated patriarchal structure.
• The teen hungry for knowledge but forced into manual labor because his family knows no other path.
• The newborn at high risk of dying before her fifth birthday because of who she is and where she was born.
• Entire villages living with cultural norms that promote inequality.
• Entire families at risk of disability or death from treatable diseases due to poverty, malnutrition, and poor sanitation.
• Migrant laborers who need economic relief and rehabilitation due to COVID-19.

Our wide-ranging programs continue to thrive thanks to the support of our generous Share & Care community. If you have been inspired by our efforts and would like to create positive, lasting change for marginalized people in the U.S. and India, we encourage you to make a contribution today. Every gift is appreciated, and every dollar makes a difference.

SEND A GIFT

The post Changes Amid Challenges: ‘Share & Care 2020 Year in Review’ Featured in News India Times appeared first on Share & Care Foundation.

What’s next in 2021? We foresee an ongoing and increased need for disaster relief in the months to come. Plans are currently underway to provide vocational rehabilitation due to the tremendous migration of labor moving away from India’s city centers and into rural villages throughout India. One of the biggest lessons we all learned this year was relying on others for help, and that the populations of individuals with the means to help vs. those who cannot is always shifting. In 2021 we are relying on those who can give, and will continue to serve those who cannot. 

Please check back often, as we will be updating this page periodically with new disaster relief project information as it becomes available.

Disaster Relief Update 1/22/2021

7,500+ Families Helped Through COVID Relief and Rehabilitation Projects in 2020

By July 30, 2020, Share & Care had allocated $300,000 in disaster relief funding and partnered with 16 NGOs to reach thousands of struggling people in the U.S and India — including more than 7,500 struggling families. We distributed grocery kits to families in need, served hot meals to families and daily wage earners, distributed healthcare items such as soap and masks, and served thousands of meals to local healthcare heroes.

In December 2020, Share & Care volunteered and provided funding for the distribution of thousands of emergency food boxes to families in several municipalities across New Jersey (the long-time home of our foundation’s headquarters) including Roselle, Harrison, Paterson, Trenton, and Jersey City. 

Speaking to Share & Care Trustee Amar Shah at the recent food distribution event in Roselle, Roselle Mayor Donald A. Shaw remarked, “Because of you, over a thousand people will be able to eat food tonight.” 

That’s a powerful message in our modern times, but is becoming increasingly urgent. The Department of Agriculture estimates that nearly one in four U.S. households experienced food insecurity in 2020, and New Jersey’s food insecurity rate is projected to climb from a 2010–2020 low of 8.7 percent (11.3 percent for children under 18) to 13.5 percent in 2021. All of which prompted Share & Care to take on the challenge of helping local residents. “Like everywhere, there are people in desperate need for others to stand up and care for those who are struggling during this difficult time,” said Share & Care president, Sharadkumar Shah.

Working with the Livingston Lions Club, we provided more than 5,000 food boxes — weighing more than 150,000 pounds total — consisting of dairy products, fresh fruits and vegetables, and other pantry items, to long lines of local citizens in need of help.

Footage from the recent food distribution events in Patterson, NJ, Livingston, NJ and Roselle, NJ.

The post 2021 Disaster Relief Updates: COVID-19 Rehabilitation & Relief appeared first on Share & Care Foundation.

Unfortunately, the shutdown left thousands of vulnerable people and families — including daily wage earners, single women, and migrant workers — without food on a daily basis. 

Share & Care was ready to respond to this emergency. Our Disaster Committee met and evaluated proposals from various NGOs, including Pradan, the Anjali Mental Health Rights Organization, and Grameen Vikas Sodh Avam Takniki Kendra (GVSTK).

We immediately released funds to help.

Five kitchens were opened in partnership with Pradan and associated self-help group members at various community levels. The kitchen volunteers were trained in safe practices for working in a kitchen, as well as social distancing, and were given a supply of gloves, masks, and sanitizers. 

On day one, the kitchens provided 600 people with kichadi (a dish of rice and beans). On day two they served  rice, curry, and vegetables.  

The volunteers also distributed groceries to needy families in rural areas, often in locations where no other help was available. This is Chavi Devi’s story.

Birsaram Village, Population 1,721

Chavi Devi lives in Birsaram, a village in Jaridih block, Bokaro district, Jharkhand. After her three children were born, she lost her husband 10 years ago at the age of 25.

Because of a mental health disorder, Chavi is unable to support herself. Now widowed, she and her children moved in with her aging parents. Today, her oldest son, 16, works in Bangalore and is the family’s sole wage earner.

When the coronavirus pandemic forced a lockdown, her son was in Bangalore, which meant he could not visit their village to bring money for his mother.

After a few days, Chavi’s food ran out. One day, when she hadn’t eaten for two days, a Pradan volunteer knocked on her door. Her name was Samla Kumari and she invited Chavi to come with her.

Samla escorted Chavi to where Pradan had set up a rations station. There Chavi was given 10 kg of rice, 1 kg dal, a packet of salt and turmeric, and two bars of soap.

Shocked, but happy and thankful, Chavi asked if there was any more help coming from the local or national government, to which Samla had to inform her that no, Pradan is the only source of rations for vulnerable families like Chavi’s.

“I have lost hope and our conditions are deteriorating every day, the help I received from Pradan brings happiness in my family’s life for some days.”

—Chavi Devi

Share & Care continues to monitor the situation and deliver help to those most in need. So far, across six blocks in Jharkhand:

• 5 Community Kitchens in support of 597 households
• Dry rations in support of 1,274 households

The post COVID-19 in Rural India: Who Will Help the Vulnerable? appeared first on Share & Care Foundation.

We have launched Phase 2 of our COVID-19 disaster relief efforts. For this second phase (Rehabilitation & Relief), we have allocated an initial $100,000 to provide ongoing aid for those who have been affected by, or are on the frontlines battling, the virus. We encourage donors to continue supporting these critical efforts during Phase 2 of our response. Below are examples of how your support will immediately help individuals in need:

• $25 – Donate to general COVID-19 disaster relief efforts
• $50 – Send grocery kits to 20 families
• $100 – Provide PPE suits for healthcare professionals
• $250 – Send 100 masks to healthcare workers in the USA
• $500 – Equip healthcare workers with masks, isolation gowns, and face shields
• $1,000 – Provide vocational training and rehabilitation for migrant workers in India who are now unemployed due to the pandemic

Disaster Relief Update 5/1/2020

Since launching Phase 1 of our COVID-19 response in March 2020, we have rolled out our relief efforts in phases and continuously adjusted our efforts, with a total of $200,000 funding now allocated to help individuals and communities affected by the virus. To date, this response has included:

• 200,000+ meals served in India
• 3,300+ meals served to local healthcare heroes in U.S.
• 30,000+ masks distributed in India
• 10,000+ N95 masks distributed to local healthcare workers in U.S.
• 1,000 surgical masks delivered to local frontline workers in U.S.
• Funding for two COVID-19 treatment facilities in Gujarat, including the purchase of two ventilators
• 300,000+ people in India equipped with COVID-19 awareness and safety kits
• 25,000 grocery kits delivered to people in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Jarkhand
• 600 meals and/or grocery kits delivered to families in Queens, NY

Additionally, our NGO partners have provided the following updates:

Update on Grocery Kits of Gratitude (with partner RNCT in Maharashtra, Mumbai): In just one month, this partner has distributed 202,903 khichdi meals to keep India hunger-free. These meals are being delivered to slum-dwelling children and families, vegetable vendors and other daily wage earners, and sanitation workers, security guards, and other essential workers.

Update on Village Upliftment (with partner ESI in Gujarat): We are providing 500 handmade masks for each of the 12 villages in this program. Masks are handmade locally, with funds supporting artisan women.

Update on Food & Hygiene Support Kits (with partner MWS in Uttar Pradesh): This project has provided more than 3,100 individuals with hand soaps, masks, and essential food grains (procured from local farmers).

Disaster Relief Update 4/14/2020

Update on Grocery Kits of Gratitude (Maharashtra, Mumbai): Share & Care has allocated an additional $10,000 for a meal kitchen (launched by our NGO partner Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust) which will continue operating for three months. At a cost of $0.14 per meal, this kitchen will provide 72,000 meals for families in need.

Meals for Healthcare Workers (Edison, New Jersey): We have partnered with Frappe Joe Coffee in New Jersey to provide two weeks’ worth of meals for workers at the JFK hospital in Edison, NJ. This project was funded for $10,000.

Meals for Healthcare Workers (Newark, New Jersey): We are allocating $1,000 to provide 300 meals for healthcare workers in Newark, NJ. This is a joint effort in partnership with the Foundation for University Hospital.

N95 Masks for Healthcare Workers (New York & New Jersey): We have provided 80 N95 masks to local hospitals in New Jersey and New York. An additional 5,000 masks have been ordered and will arrive for distribution this week.

Update on Grocery Distribution (Queens, New York): A message from our on-the-ground partners: “The food distribution is going well. About 3-4 staff members are receiving deliveries and packing grocery bags, which are distributed to vulnerable families throughout Queens, NY. Two vans and drivers have been hired to help in transporting items, along with a dedicated staff member who delivers the bags. Everyone involved in the process ensures that social distancing guidelines are observed.”

Disaster Relief Update 4/8/2020

We are pleased to share the following message and video from Environmental Sanitation Institute, an NGO partner with whom we’ve partnered for our Village Upliftment and COVID-19 Grocery Kits of Gratitude programs.

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You would be glad to learn that the recent Groceries of Gratitude and Lokmitra projects have found incredible harmony. Together, the projects have brought great transformation and impact.

In fact, the Lokmitras are building deeper trust and are understanding the need of the villagers and communities — and through the recent grocery kit deliveries (with help from village leaders and influencers), they reached out to the most needy families. Right now, the Lokmitras are becoming instrumental in availing government entitlements that have been announced. We know there are multiple schemes, but it’s sometimes difficult for the most needy to access the correct documents and engagements. In such cases, our Lokmitras come forward as angels.

The coronavirus crisis has brought such testing times, and we are grateful to this team of Lokmitras, who are doing wonders. The decentralized distribution model of this program is working, and it affirms our belief that we need more such experiments. We feel gratitude for the whole Share & Care family for supporting such interventions.

Disaster Relief Update 4/3/2020

In addition to the Gujarat-based project outlined in our initial post below, Share & Care has received approval for, and is currently implementing, the following four projects in the U.S. and India. Together, all five projects were funded for a total of $67,500.

• Grocery Kits of Gratitude (Maharashtra): This initiative is funded for $15,000 and will benefit 1,100 families.
• Support Kits (Azamgarh and Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh): These kits, funded for $7,500, will include rice, lentils and beans, soap, and safety masks for 2,000 families who are facing such extreme poverty that they have resorted to eating grass to survive. Each kit costs $3.50 and includes enough rations to sustain beneficiaries for three weeks.
• Grocery Items (Queens, New York): This initiative, funded for $15,000, will benefit 130 families and is made possible through a partnership with the South Asia Council for Social Welfare.
• Groceries & Meal Kitchen (Hazaribagh, Jharkhand): This initiative, funded for $15,000, will feed 400 families for 20 days.

Humanity is facing an invisible but real viral enemy — the COVID-19 pandemic, which knows no boundaries and affects all irrespective of race, religion, creed, or social status.

The daily statistics of infections and fatalities world over are alarming. Governments, putting their best foot forward to manage this ongoing health (and resulting financial) crisis, have implemented lockdowns and social distancing orders in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus.

The Indian government has aggressively implemented such measures over the last couple of weeks, and just recently introduced a countrywide lockdown. As a result, members of the rural population — many of whom are day wage earners in urban areas — have lost their employment and are returning to their home villages.

A big concern is that these newly unemployed workers, who may not receive any financial assistance from the government, are being thrust into a struggle for survival — similar to, but more severe, than that of other natural disasters. It is also feared that some of these workers are unknowingly carrying the virus, which could potentially spread to rural India.

It is impossible to know what the future holds; however, with any crisis there is always an opportunity to cultivate Karuna (“compassion”).

One Thousand Grocery Kits of Gratitude

In response to this ongoing disaster, Share & Care has allocated $100,000 in disaster relief funds to provide various forms of support to those affected. The first phase of this project will provide emergency relief to rural India’s poorest day wage earners and their families. We will distribute “one thousand grocery kits of gratitude,” each consisting of grains, lentils, oil, essential masalas, ghee, flour, rice. potato, onion, and other staples to sustain a household for two to three weeks.

The kits will cost about $15 each, and Share & Care is committing $15,000 to help 1,000 distressed families (or approximately 5,000 beneficiaries). Our NGO partners and Gandhi Ashram team members will distribute the kits to those most in need.

Educating Villagers About the Coronavirus

In 2015-16 during the toilet construction phase of our sanitation and hygiene projects, Share & Care discovered the importance of changing mindsets when working to improve community hygiene. Now, during this COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to provide education about good personal hygiene practices.

This year, Share & Care initiated a Village Upliftment program, which places 12 Lokmitras (“friends of the people”) in 12 Gujarat villages. Their roles are to bring awareness and offer solutions for issues affecting the entire community (e.g., sanitation, substance abuse, smart schools, and infrastructure) and to serve as a liaison between village and government with the goal of modernizing both the mindsets and the village itself. These Lokmitras are already working to educate villagers about the coronavirus and about the importance of hand washing and social distancing.

Share & Care remains committed to aiding the poorest of the poor during this coronavirus pandemic, and we thank you for your continued support and trust.

Video Gallery

Image Gallery

Pictured below are Share & Care’s Lokmitra volunteers gathering materials for (and delivering) “Grocery Kits of Gratitude” to help families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These volunteers are also providing hygiene instructions to help beneficiaries of all ages stay safe and healthy. (Please mouse over the images and use the arrows to scroll through additional images)

The post COVID-19 Disaster Relief Phase 1 & 2 Update: Rehabilitation & Relief appeared first on Share & Care Foundation.

Share & Care responds with $10,000 in immediate relief, with a long-term goal of $100,000 toward rebuilding lives

Over the last few days, torrential rainfall has caused catastrophic floods in the India state of Kerala. Hundreds of lives have been lost and thousands have been left homeless, including more than 60,000 families evacuated to safer areas, where resources are scarce. Getting help to stranded survivors is near impossible due to the loss of vital roads and communication systems.

Thousands of acres of farmland and cash crops are completely flooded and domestic livestock have been swept away. The death toll rises daily and is expected to reach more than 400.

The state has suffered a loss of Rs. 19,512 crore due (close to $3 billion USD) to the deluge, according to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. As the authorities and the media have yet to reach remote areas to assess the full extent of the disaster, it is feared the damage may be for more extensive than currently estimated. The affected population has very little access to food and clean drinking water, and stagnant water could become breeding grounds for diseases such as cholera and malaria.

The Share & Care Foundation has approved an immediate release of $10,000 to local, reputable NGOs currently providing relief work in the affected areas. These funds will be used to provide basic survival kits containing food rations and basic medical aid as needed. We believe this funding will sustain at least 500 to 600 families immediately until the larger funds from the India government and private sector start to flow in. We ask other concerned organizations involved in the Kerala Flood Relief effort to join hands with us so the relief work can be further enhanced.

Based on over 30 years of disaster response experience, Share & Care has undertaken an immediate and long-term response program to reach out to the affected communities. Our disaster response team has invaluable experience working in partnership with local communities.

Our Goal

Immediate Relief: $10,000

• Provisions, food rations, and basic shelter to homeless families.

Medium- to Long-Term Relief: $100,000

• Fall 2018: Construction of temporary shelters for families. The shelters are constructed from galvanized iron sheets and wood frames to provide protection from the elements and some security.
• Restoration: Efforts to provide support for 400 to 500 families, including loss of livelihood, schools, and primary healthcare centers.
• Under consideration: Provisions of potable water and sanitation.

Your support and generous contribution will make a huge difference in the lives of the people affected by this tragedy. Please make your check out to “Share & Care Foundation” and mark it for “Disaster Fund” and send to 676 Winters Avenue, Paramus, NJ 07652, or click below.

DONATE TODAY

Press Contacts:
Sharad Shah, President
info@shareandcare.org

Victor Gurunathan, Board Member
victorgurunathan@gmail.com

Tejal Parekh, Administrative & Operations Director
tparekh@shareandcare.org

Images courtesy of: Akbarali – Own work

File: Kerala flood cheruvannur mosque disappeared.jpg
Created: 17 August 2018

File: Kerala flood 2018 @ Melmuri, Malappuram.jpg
Created: 15 August 2018

The post Kerala Flood Leaves More Than 60,000 Families in Need of Food, Shelter, and Medical Care appeared first on Share & Care Foundation.

Note: We’ve added the Texas and Florida hurricanes — Harvey and Irma — to our relief operations, marking the first time we’ve needed to spread our resources across three disasters at the same time. But we must pull together to meet this unusual challenge.

Over the last few days, torrential rainfall has caused catastrophic floods in the state of Gujarat, where hundreds of lives have been lost and thousands have been left homeless. Vital roads and communication systems have been wiped out.

More than 60,000 families have to be evacuated to safer areas, with meager resources to live on. Thousands of acres of farmland are totally flooded and domestic livestock have been swept away. The death toll is rising daily and is expected to reach over several hundreds.

As the authorities and the media have yet to reach remote areas to assess the full extent of the disaster, it is feared the damage may be far more extensive than currently estimated. Because affected villagers have very little access to food and clean drinking water, we are likely to see the spread of serious epidemics such as cholera and malaria.

Our Response

Share & Care Foundation has approved an immediate release of $10,000 to reputed local NGOs currently providing the relief work directly in the affected areas. Another $20,000 is planned to be sent shortly, bringing our initial contribution to $30,000.

These funds will be utilized to provide basic survival kits containing food rations, utensils, and basic medical aid as needed. We believe this funding will sustain at least 1000 families immediately until the larger funds from the government and private sector start to flow. We are gratified that other organizations such as the Indian American Senior’s Organization of NJ (IASONJ) have expressed their intent to join hands with us in this effort.

Based on over 30 years of disaster response experience, Share & Care has undertaken an immediate, short- and long-term response program to reach out to the affected communities. With this being our 15th disaster response, our team has the invaluable experience of working in partnership with local communities.

Our Goal

Our goal is to raise $150,000 in disaster relief funds. Your support and generous contribution will make a huge difference in the lives of the people affected by this tragedy. Please make your check to “Share & Care Foundation” and mark it for “Disaster Fund” and send to Share & Care Foundation, 676 Winters Avenue, Paramus, NJ 07652. Or donate online now.

1. Immediate relief: $30,000
   • Supply of provisions, food rations, and basic utensils to homeless families (estimated cost ~ $30 per family)
2. Short-term to long-term relief: $125,000
   • Construction of temporary shelters for families in the fall of 2017. The temporary shelters are made of GI sheets and wooden frames to provide protection from the elements and some security.
   • Provision of potable water and sanitation under consideration
   • Restoration for livelihoods, schools, and primary healthcare centers, especially empowering women
   • Estimated to provide support for about 400 to 500 families

SEND RELIEF TO GUJARAT

The post Share & Care Foundation Provides Emergency Relief for Gujarat Flood Victims appeared first on Share & Care Foundation.