Urging ALL to Help Communities Recover from Irene

-With MitraSeva – Festival of friendship and service-

Washington, D.C., August 31st, 2011—  Hurricane Irene made its way up the East Coast of the United States, this weekend.  It has left a wake of destruction in its path.  With over 40 people killed, thousands displaced with many losing their homes and businesses and millions are still without power.

“The size of the task still at hand is beginning to sink in Wednesday as states in the Northeast struggled to rebuild roads and bridges, restore power and tame waterways still coursing with floodwaters brought by Hurricane Irene. Vermont, New Jersey and upstate New York endured some of the worst flooding”.  

HASC is reaching out to communities along the East Coast and is collaborating with its many partners such as Mata  Amritanandamayi Center (M A Center-Amma), Council of Hindu Temples of North America (CHTNA), Arsh Vidya Gurukulum, Chinmaya Mission, Sevathon, Arya Samaj, military, Hindu Student Council, Hindu Student Association, many college campuses, over 100 organizations and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) which attended the recent historic White House Hindu American gathering. 

Volunteers and contributions will be desperately needed as affected communities work to rebuild following the hurricane’s wreckage. All communities have been impacted. Closer to home, HASC’s AmeriCorp’s VISTA member, Niki Shah has been affected.  You can see and hear in this CBS coverage.

Please consider lending your support - give your time and resources.  The hurricane and floods requires us all to pitch in and help.  You can click here to donate to the Hurricane Irene Relief Fund. 

In the month of August, Hindus around the world celebrates the relationship of protection and friendship between brothers and sisters.  Today many extend this relationship of friendship to the community. In this spirit of the festivities to honor friendship and protection this month, many (like us at HASC) participate in community service. UtsavSeva (Festivals of Seva).  It augments the spirit of Hindu festivals through seva events organized during this time and connects them with the cultural heritage. Hurricane Irene’s impact makes it even more imperative that we extend our hand of friendship and help our communities recover.   HASC's theme for August is MitraSeva which celebrates service to all.

“America belongs to all of us and it is our duty and right to serve and strengthen this great country by offering the best of our traditions and wisdom to solve today’s problems” said Anju Bhargava, HASC founder.