CHICAGO: Share a Smile Chicago, a no profit body with a global vision to share and give back to the less privileged senior citizens, held a fundraiser to raise money to fund various projects that it endorses, including for senior home called Sukhdham.
The annual fundraiser was held on April 22 at The Meadows Club, featuring “The Funny Indian” Rajiv Satyal. The opening act featured Chicago-born comedian, Azhar Usman. Usman obtained a law degree, but instead of practicing law, started doing stand-up comedy. He had the crowd roaring with laughter at his opening act.
Share-a-smile Chicago truly believes that “Great things are done through a series of small things brought together.” Keeping that in mind on a monthly basis they hold community gatherings for the seniors to socially engage, educate, foster communications with peers and simply to have fun!
They work with Barrington Area Council of Aging and support their Meals-on-wheels program to help deliver hot and nutritious meals to home bound seniors. They work in conjunction with Autumn Leaves – a senior community serving people suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia.
One of their major benefactors is “Sukhdham” which simply means a place of well being. It houses seniors who have been abandoned by their families. They are housed, fed and their medical expenses are taken care of. It takes $600 to support a senior for one year at this home.
This has been a landmark year for SASC. They also sent a container of essential supplies and goods to flood victims of Chennai, helped victims of domestic abuse and distributed coats to the homeless in Chicago.In March, it announced the launch of SASC Naperville chapter.
The president Vandana Walia thanked all the volunteers and core SASC committee members who had worked hard to make this event happen and all the volunteers, sponsors and the Chairman Sushma Bhanot.
The evening included a beautiful Ganesh Vandana dance by Amy Verma, Devina Sharma and Ananya Sharma which was followed by a Latin dance performed by Aaron and Alissa from Fred Astaire Dance Studio. The audience enthusiastically participated in the silent auction which contained various donated gift basket items to raise funds that evening.
Executive Committee: President: Vandana Walia, Dipti Thakkar, Founder/Director: Sushma Bhanot, Vice-Presidents: Medini Pradhan/ Rajni Asija, Treasurer: Deepa Bharaj, Secretaries: Meenakshi Mehta & Kavita Mahableshwarkar
Board Members: Priyanka Sublok, Prajakta Sukhatme, Amardeep Lall, Dimple Patel and Nidhi Pawar.
Asian Media USA
