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Sewa’s Bay Area summit unites stakeholders to drive positive change
Representatives from over 45 non-profit organizations as well as elected officials, academia, media and corporations actively participated in the discussions
Sewa Bay Area chapter hosts Bill of Responsibilities Summit / Facebook/ Sewa International - Bay Area Chapter
The Bay Area chapter of Sewa International USA, a non-profit with grassroots volunteers serving humanity across the globe, recently hosted a first-of-its- kind summit that brought together various stakeholders to discuss pressing societal issues affecting the lives of underserved communities across the region.
The event titled "Bill of Responsibilities Summit: Building One Community", aimed to lay the groundwork for strategic planning and align the actions of the various stakeholders in order to drive positive change for the entire community.
It was attended by representatives from over 45 non-profit organizations as well as elected officials, academia, media and corporations, who partiipated in the various panels and pledged their commitment to working together to tackle the challenges associated with five major pillars of society: food, health, shelter, education, and disaster preparedness, a release stated.
Catherine Mohr, director of Intuitive Foundation, in her keynote speech highlighted the need for “sustainability planning” right from the get-go and “centralizing communication” when embarking on scaling non-profit projects. Mohr, who also serves on Sewa Bay Area’s Advisory Board, emphasized the need for “selfless collaboration” and “operationalization of processes” to make a positive change in society.
The first panel,“From Scarcity to Sufficiency: Building a Stronger Future” featured Sewa’s educational initiative ASPIRE. It delved into how ensuring food security can dramatically enhance educational outcomes. Larry Sweeney, school board trustee for the Fremont Unified School District, and Chris Norwood, school board trustee from the Milpitas Unified School District, participated along with Larry Klein, Mayor of Sunnyvale; Todd Langton, founder of the non-profit Agape; and Chris Sturken, partnership manager for Sacred Heart Community and Council Member for Redwood City.
The second panel, titled “Building Resilience: Shelter, Health, and Disaster Preparedness- Navigating Challenges, Transforming Lives“, highlighted the critical interplay between shelter and access to healthcare. The panelists included Harsha Ramchandani, chief medical officer of the Bay Area Community Health (BACH); Anil Surpur, president of Yoga Bharati; and Franci Collins, community relations liaison of Collaborating Agencies’ Disaster Relief Effort (CADRE); Cindy Chavez, supervisor of Santa Clara County; and Alex Lee, California State Assemblymember.
At the summit’s conclusion a “Pledge of Partnership” was signed by all leaders and stakeholders, demonstrating their commitment to collaborative efforts aimed at implementing the discussed changes. Ajay Jain Bhutoria, prominent community leader and an advisor to the Biden administration on Indo-American relations, in his closing remarks highlighted the importance of such events to translate these discussions and solutions into bills and policy changes that are sustainable in the long run.
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