Community leaders Subhash Kakkar, Sushil Tuli, Harish Dang, Raman Handa, Vinod Kapoor and other SEVA supporters are organizing a fundraiser to help SEVA’s effort to provide services for Indian seniors. The event will be held on December 12th at Masala Art at 5:00 pm.

Life for Indian seniors in the US is for the most part restricted to the home. Lack of the ability to drive and living in a new and unfamiliar environment their friendships and outings are closely intertwined with those of their children.  Rita Kakkar, Kamlesh Dang, Binita Dang, Vidya Bhatia,Veena Khattak, Nimmi Wadhwa, Nilima Handa and others have formed a group called SEVA which is committed  to providing support for seniors. “I have been working at Minuteman Senior Services for the past 15 years. This organization provides meals-on-wheels kinds of services for seniors. For the past five years a group of us formed SEVA and registered with Minuteman Services to provide volunteer help. While we were helping the American seniors, the cause of the Indian seniors was always close to our heart and we were looking into ways to serve them” says Rita Kakkar.

With the help of her colleague from Minuteman Senior Services Yashodha Kugabalsooriyar, Rita was able to design a program within the organization that caters specially to Indian seniors. They organize a lunch for Indian seniors every third Friday of the month. They provide pick-up and drop-off services for the seniors.  Indian vegetarian meal is provided with special attention being paid to the nutrition content of the food.

“The program provides more than food. We have talks by specialists on topics that are of interest to seniors. We had a talk on yoga and meditation. With the help of Dr. Ganda , we have had doctors from the Tufts Dental school  gave talks on dental health” says Rita Kakkar.

Why the fundraiser? “I have been watching SEVA’s work and I have been very impressed by their commitment. They told me that if they had enough funds they could arrange transportation to bring more seniors to the event. They can arrange the event once a week instead of once a month. This motivated me to arrange this fundraiser. The moment I mentioned it, many people including Sushil Tuli, Raman Handa, Harish Dang and others came forward to support it and immediately offered $1000 each. Vinod Kapoor was gracious to offer Masala Art for the event and has promised to give $5 per guest back to SEVA. We are very excited about this” says Subhash Kakkar who is the originator of the fundraiser idea.

What do the seniors who are benefiting from this think of this service? “It is absolutely wonderful. It is the one event that is not tied to our children. It is our own event that caters to our interests. I eagerly look forward to the event” says one participant. The other interesting note is the personal attention given by SEVA volunteers at these events has attracted many non-Indian seniors. “We are not Indian. But the personal touch and care that is provided by SEVA makes us want to attend these event” says a non-Indian senior.

To attend the fundraiser or to learn more about the program, please contact Rita Kakkar at 781 221 7058 or r.kakkar@minuteman senior.org.

|