"We expanded our services during COVID-19 to serve more seniors and started a new service, delivering meals and groceries to vulnerable immigrant seniors in their homes." ~ Dr. Vasundhara Kalaspudi, Executive Director, India Home
Despite the chaos of 2020, Dr. Vasundhara Kalaspudi gives her experience with LENDonate five stars! India Home, Inc, where she is Executive Director, seeks to combat social isolation, provide essential services, and meet the material needs of South Asian older adults. She and her team partnered with LENDonate to raise $100,000 for a capital loan campaign that would eventually save them $72,000 per year in rent. When their capital plans were put on hold due to the pandemic, the flexible funding allowed them to pivot to maintain their staff and expand programming.
This growth, and eventually the facility, will make it possible for India Home to meet the needs of a growing population of seniors in dignified and culturally appropriate ways. Thanks to the LENDonate community, Dr. Kalaspudi and her team were able to take action in response to the challenges of 2020. Now that they have repaid their loan through the help of a government grant and fundraising, India Home is ready to tackle its next phase.
Get more insights on securing a strategic nonprofit loan.
India Home is a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing the needs of the Indian and larger South Asian senior citizen immigrant community in New York City. Started in 2007 by a group of healthcare professionals, India Home provides social, psychological, recreational, and spiritual services in a culturally sensitive environment to improve the quality of life for vulnerable elders who find themselves socially isolated and struggling to access necessary services.
"They have given all their life to their children and the community…it’s time to give back."
New York City has one of the largest concentrations of South Asian immigrants in the United States. The aging of the South Asian population makes it imperative that service providers, organizations and government agencies understand their unique health and social service needs. However, historically, the South Asian immigrant elderly population has been vastly under-served.
India Home is a not only a home away from home for South Asian seniors but also a place where South Asian communities are built and strengthened in order to better advocate for themselves. In a few short years, India Home has become the standard bearer for other South Asian groups seeking to replicate our model of community service. Many of the seniors served come from low-income households and have limited resources, including less education and limited English skills, and lack information on navigating complex government benefits, such as Medicare and food stamps. India Home addresses these problems through an array of services, socialization opportunities and ongoing advocacy.
India Home does not discriminate based on race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, or political affiliation.
India Home is purchasing property in Jamaica Estates, Queens (majority funded by NYC government capital grant), and is seeking funding for renovation expenses. This will be the first community center in NYC dedicated to providing culturally appropriate services to South Asian seniors; this property will house its senior center programs, case management and assistance services, mental health services, and administrative activities. The center would function as a drop-in site for older adults who are low income, have physical and cognitive limitations, have limited English proficiency, and are socially isolated regardless of immigration status. All services are free.
SHARE THIS STORY
