Jain Center Los Angeles CA 1998 07 10th Anniversary of Jain Bhavan

Author(s): Jain Center So CA Los Angeles
Publisher: USA Jain Center Southern California

Page 117

Share and Care of Greater Los Angeles Approaching 10th Anniversary
by Maltiben Maheta and Virendrabhai Shah
It all began in 1989 with Irvine High School students donating 65 pounds of used clothes for the poor and needy people in India. The clothes were shipped to India, through Share and Care foundation of New York / New Jersey (NY/NJ). After founding a Los Angeles chapter the following year, more clothes were shipped directly to India with assistance from kind folks in NY/NJ.
The first direct shipment from Los Angeles to India consisted of 3,000 pounds of clothes. Most of the clothes were collected by twelve volunteer families in their garages for six to eight months, before bringing them to Jain Bhavan in February - March 1990. Additional support came from other local Indian organizations such as Kannada Association, Maharashtra Mandal, Sindhi Association, Swaminarayan Group and Gujarati Society Norwalk Temple in collecting clothes. Major participation for packing the clothes in boxes for shipment always came from the young generation of JCYC at Jain Center.
Few years ago our Center used to send 100 to 200 cartons weighting 2000 to 3000 Lbs. However due to generosity of many community members, Jain Center has sent 3 full 40 ft. Containers, which can accommodate 750 to 1,000 cartons and approximately 25,000 lbs., during the last 3 years. The annual cost of shipment has been $2,000 to $2,500. There are many community members who have generously donated funds towards these costs.
Recently a 40 ft. container full of clothes for the poor and needy victims of storm in Kutchh was sent to a Charity Trust in Rajkot. The message for assistance to Jain and other communities is being spread for making one single large shipment per year, to enhance the efficiency in getting the clothes to their intended destination.
Collection drive, fund raising, documentation and liaison with overseas organizations are keys to success of this program. We are thankful to all the community members who have contributed funds, time and efforts without which this undertaking would not have been possible. Our Center maintains a separate fund for all the contributions received for this particular purpose.
The future plans call for providing scholarship for students in India. It would provide money for tuition, books, and clothes. Anyone interested in this worthy cause, please contact:
Virendrabhai Shah @ (310) 715-3030
Maltiben Maheta @ (949) 551-4569 Maheshbhai Maheta @ (949) 551-4569
I really love Jainism. I enjoy it.
- Nitya Shroff (13)