We are all struggling to wrap our heads around this truly global and unprecedented moment. We hope you are doing everything you can to stay at home - if you can - and keep your family, your neighbors and the most vulnerable safe during this time. Many of us have already lost friends and loved ones, and are uncertain about others. Nothing matters more than the health of our communities right now.
Our entire team is so grateful to the health care and emergency workers, grocery store and pharmacy employees, emergency members, volunteers, and
so many other incredible heroes who are keeping our society moving forward in this time.
We also want to take a moment to thank you for your continued support and belief in the work we are doing to serve women and children in the US and India, which remains vital now more-so than ever.
The Desai Foundation is doing everything
we
can to protect our team and the people we serve using the information available. Both the teams in India and the United States have been
working from home
for quite some time now, and we are working on long-term plans to ensure that we can continue to offer
life-saving programming we are known for in a safe
and responsible
way t
hat is of the most benefit to those we serve
. Our
top priority
is to keep all of our stakeholders safe and healthy.
Just like so many of you, we are struggling financially. We have cancelled many programs and fundraising events both in the US and India, and we took a significant hit to our financials
when
the market dropped. However, w
e are committed to our teams in New York, Boston, and India - we will not lay off any of our team members - part or full time,
as we believe that solidarity is required at times like these
.
We are also doing our best to not only connect with our partners, but also our beneficiaries. We know that many of them count on our programming, and so many of them want to help. We want to do our part to contribute to slowing down this pandemic, so we are currently exploring if our trained seamstresses are able to make face masks that can be used by local health care workers. We are also reviewing our other materials with the hope they can be used to support our communities in other ways, as we know many of the jobs that we have worked so hard to create are on hold under the Indian lock down. And we are doing our best to ensure the women we serve still have access to Asani Pads - as periods don't stop during a pandemic.
Our goals have not changed. In fact,
this pandemic is highlighting just how important it is for those we serve to have better
hygiene and health practices,
as well as
a flexible and active way to earn a living.
In the coming weeks, we plan to optimistically announce our fundraising events for the fall,
which we hope will serve as something to look forward to as a light at the end of the tunnel when we are on the other side of all this
.
In the meantime,
we hope you are taking care of yourself and your loved ones. And that in the coming weeks, as the situation begins to come into focus, we can all spring into action both professionally and personally.
Thank you so much for your support during this time, and always.
From all of us at the Desai Foundation
If you want to support the Desai Foundation, our teams, and the thousands of people we serve in New York City, Massachusetts, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra - please donate here. Your generosity in this uncertain time is deeply appreciated.
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