Non-profit Indiaspora raises more than $1 million for Covid relief in 48 hours

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The non-profit organization Indiaspora, which has offices in San Francisco and Washington, D.C., announced it has raised more than $1 million for COVID relief from diaspora leaders in just 48 hours. It aims to double the impact of relief efforts by providing matching funds during a virtual event entitled “Help India Breathe” scheduled for May 1, 2021.

“We are proud of our community’s response. The outpouring of support from the Indian diaspora has been immediate and overwhelming,” Sanjeev Joshipura, executive director of Indiaspora is quoted saying in the April 30 press release.

The $1 million is directed toward three major areas of COVID-19 relief on the ground, the organization said – the creation of urgently needed COVID care centers and makeshift hospitals through nonprofit WISH Foundation; direct cash transfer to families who have lost a primary earning member through nonprofit giving platform GiveIndia; and food relief and livelihood assistance for migrant workers and other underserved populations through nonprofits Goonj and Jan Sahas.

“I am heartbroken by the deepening COVID crisis in India. Urgent action is needed to help those suffering,” said Indiaspora Founders Circle member Reshma Kewalramani, CEO and president at Vertex, a global biotechnology company.

The virtual May 1 event was scheduled to feature famous Indians in the diaspora including Lilly Singh, Dr. Deepak Chopra, Dhar Mann, Payal Kadakia, Kunal Nayyar, Humble the Poet, Jay Sean, Radhanath Swami, Janina Gavankar, Vishen Lakhiani, Deepica Mutyala, and others.

Funds raised during the Saturday event will go toward GiveIndia, which launched India COVID Response Fund-1 in April 2020, Indiaspora said.