More thank-you's!

The generosity of family and friends has been wonderful and encouraging! Below I recognize some of the lovely souls in my life :) More will be forthcoming ...

Hina - I first met her in graduate school at UMD - we've had many fun times together and now she is married in Atlanta and has a cute young son.

Chitra Auntie and Dinesh Uncle - my K4L's parents! Such nice folks who are always welcoming and make me feel part of the family. 

Nick - a.k.a Nickalicious :) - a colleague and friend - foodie adventures and APIAU trainings galore - always a good time when Nick is around.

Bobby - a former student of mine and now keeping the alumni together in full force. He's excited to have his photo on our famous blog :)

Gokul (Parthav) - my cousin on my mum's side and also a new MD resident. He is such a smarty pants too!

Arush and Rupali - K4L's bro and SIL - a lovely couple - who like the rest of the family have welcomed me and by default I've been given the power of "sisterny" ;) They have two beautiful young daughters.

Navdeep and Mallika - K4L's cousin and SIL - another cute and fairly newly-married couple :) Navdeep is so well-traveled and Mallika is an amazing and creative artist!

Sujay - I have known Suj since my college days and the infamous 601 memories :) A dear soul whom I'm so glad I can call a friend. (pictured here with his wife Poonam)

Special Friend - where do I start with my SF? We hit it off with each other at UMD and haven't looked back since. She is the yin to my K4L's yang  - a hottie, amazing mother and wife, comic, gourmet chef and much more - I seriously don't know what I would ever do without her in my life. I love her and her whole family <3 <3

Odanadi US web-site launches & NY Event!

Dear supporters,

We are pleased to share that the Odanadi US web-site is now live! Please take some time to visit and learn more about the work of Odanadi, the November 11th NY panel event and other important information. We are sure you will learn a lot.

Stay tuned for more thank-you's and wish Pareesha well as she leaves for India on November 10th to visit family and then on to Odanadi :) I leave for India on December 10th and will meet Pareesha in Mysore!

A special thank you

Mom & Dad

I'd like to especially thank my parents for supporting me in my endeavors and encouraging me to just go for it. I have faith that Dad is still looking down at us and showering us with love and support.

I wouldn't be who I am without you or Dad, and I sincerely thank you both for that.

Thank you donors!

Pareesha would like to thank a few of her friends and family for their love, support and of course generous contributions! You all have been amazing and supportive in our pursuit of $5,000 and the work we are going to do in India.

Jee

I worked with Jee at the MICA office at the University of Maryland. She's an amazing mentor and friend.

Neha

Neha was a year senior to me at the University of Maryland. We were both a part of the Asian American Student Union executive board. Her passion for APA issues is an inspiration to all, and she proved to be a great role model and friend.

Nikhil

Nikhil is currently attending the University of Maryland, and is a friend of my brother.

Shilpy

Shilpy is my beautiful cousin who inspires me with her hard work and the accomplishment of her dreams to become a doctor. (Congratulations on finishing your boards! :)

I'd also like to thank Sherwood, a friend and a district representative for Congressman Rush Holt; Vikas uncle and Rachna aunty, our dear family friends; and Latha aunty, a neighbor and friend to our family as well.

Thank you to the first round of donors

Dharma would like to thank the following individuals for their generous contributions to Odanadi. All of you are special people and I'm grateful to have you in my life!

Hsuan
I have known Hsuan since my early undergraduate days at College Park. He's a funny, supportive and dedicated fellow APA Terp. The photo here captures his essence wonderfully :)



Jay
A fearless and fun colleague at the MICA Office at UMD. Ask him to do his eagle/bird impersonation for you in Impulse! Trust me .. just ask!



Amy
Amy is a former student of mine from a few years ago. A beautiful and strong young woman with a passion for justice. Soon moving to Japan to start a new chapter in life with her new hubby :)



Chandni
My sister and K4L for life. Not many words can do justice to the relationship we share. Plus, I get to share my surrogate hubby with her! I love her with all my heart period <3

Lawrence
A recent graduate of UMD, Lawrence was a passionate student leader on campus. He oversaw the Yuri Kochiyama High School Leadership Program with passion and inspired younger leaders to grow and chart their own journeys.



Mei-Yen
A lovely and dedicated colleague, Mei-Yen enjoys working with students and the local community to foster positive social change through meaningful dialogues and engagement.



Dharmesh (Bhai)
Last, but not least my baby brother! Well he's almost 30, but still - he'll always be Baby D. Not a man of many words, but always supporting his Ben (sister) silently when we're not being typical siblings and getting on each others nerves :) Did I mention he's cute and single ladies?!

Supplies you can donate

Dear supporters

We will also accept supplies to donate specifically to Odanadi in India. Below is a listing of items that would be acceptable to donate (in addition to any monetary donations you might be able to make).

• Toiletries

- shampoo, conditioner, soap, new toothbrushes, floss, toothpaste, deodorant etc

• Clothes for girls**

- five of the older girls will be part of the US 2011 tour

• Clothes for boys**

- two of the males who are in the early 20's will also be part of the US 2011 tour

• Books

- English language is fine as long as they are age-appropriate

• DVD's

- English language is fine as long as they are age-appropriate & will work in India

• Toys

- dolls, cars, educational games, maps, puzzles, board games, globes etc

• Arts and Crafts

- crayons/markers, construction/craft paper, coloring books/posters, scissors, beads etc

• Sports

- foldable binoculars, deflated balls, cards, other outdoor/indoor sports, ham radio etc

**Clothing items can also include jackets, sweaters, shoes, socks, book bags etc**


If you would like to donate any of the above items we ask you to please make arrangements with Dharma to collect them prior to November 8th. Please be mindful of the type and size of items you donate as they'll be transported internationally, and will have to go through customs.

Update & clarification on donations

Dear supporters,

We wanted to note that we received several kind donations before our chip in button with the goal tracker was installed on our blog. Thus, when you are looking at it please add $270 to that amount to reflect the correct total to date.

We will be recognizing donors individually on our blog shortly so please stay tuned for that :)

A number of you have inquired as to the tax-exempt nature of these donations. Odanadi US is in it's beginning stages, but the organizers are working diligently to set-up it's formal structure and make sure all paperwork is in order. The process can take anywhere from three-six months, but it is the organizers' goal to be listed as a tax-exempt organization that can provide funding to an organization outside of the US by late spring 2011 (updates will be provided as and when available).

Your donation, however, should you choose to give will go directly to Odanadi US and India to support the cause.