Dear Temple Chairperson/President of the Board

 

On June 22^nd, President Obama called on all of us – young and old, from every background, all across this country – to participate, this summer, in our nation’s recovery and renewal by serving in our communities.  From June 22 to September 11, Americans from coast to coast are being asked to address community needs in education, health, energy and the environment, and community renewal.  The White House, in conjunction with the Corporation for National and Community Service, is launching the United We Serve campaign, urging Americans to make community service a national priority this summer.

 

Seva/service is an integral part of our culture and traditions.  Let us demonstrate to the world that the Hindu American community can support the President’s agenda through our temples, ashrams, and service organizations. By focusing on healthcare as well as participating in food bank drives and other projects we will help meet today’s urgent needs.

 

Healthcare

Hindu American Seva Charities (HASC) invites you to participate in the President’s Call to Serve by hosting a health program on August 1^st.  Ideally, we request all the temples and ashrams across the country coordinate and hold the event on the same day – August 1^st.  A coordinated event on one day would have the most impact.  We request you to hold an event during the month of August, if August 1^st is not feasible.  You could either host a Health Awareness Day or a Health Fair based on your capacity to provide the services.  HASC will provide you with a tool kit to help you keep track of all served, the number of volunteers who came and the type of services provided. 

 

Health Awareness Day

Once you decide, please inform us at HASevaUSA@gmail.com so that we can provide you with three power point presentations on Diabetes, Cancer and Mental Health prepared by SATHI (South Asian Total Health Initiative).  We hope, at a minimum, that you could screen the power point presentations for your temple devotees and also advertise and invite the community at large to the event.

 

Health Fair

We request you to host a health fair with medical testing and screening- open to public- based on the availability of health care volunteers.  Again, once you decide, please inform us at HASevaUSA@gmail.com so that we can provide you the tool kit to help keep track of those served, volunteers, etc.

 

Organizations

Many health care and community based organizations are also participating in this event and will be available to assist. These include: AAPI (Physicians), Indo American Medical Association, NAINA (Nurses), Indo-American Psychiatrist Association, and SATHI.

 

Food Bank Drive and other projects

We also request you to initiate a food bank drive from June 22 to September 11 and beyond. This could include canned/boxed food. Please measure the collection and let us know the quantity before donating it to the Food Bank(s) or local homeless shelters. This information may be provided to the White House and other agencies as Hindu/Hindu-inspired community’s contribution to the President’s Call to Serve.

 

About Seva

Hindu American Seva Charities (HASC) is a registered not-for-profit organization.  It aims, as a coalition of Seva Centers within temples, ashrams and service based organizations, to promote the development of social services for our growing community.  HASC is a service partner with The White House’s Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships OFBNP) and Serve America Program (SAP). Participating temples'/organizations’ Seva work will be identified to the White House and recognized.

 

The United We Serve campaign ends on September 11th - but the call to serve will continue. Many of you have already demonstrated your wonderful ability to do Seva in your temples and answer the call to action. And many have already confirmed participation.  This summer, let us again prove that United We Serve.

 

If you have any question, please contact one of the volunteers listed above. We would appreciate if you let us know by July 15^th or earlier, your availability for this Dharmic service, a symbol of our Santana Dharma.

 

Anju Bhargava
Founder-Convener, Hindu American Seva Charities

Advisor, The White House Council on Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships