ROCKLEIGH, N.J.—Dedicated Indians of America (DIA) will hold its 10th annual fundraiser on April 26 at The Rockleigh Country Club. Proceeds from the event will help to educate underprivileged children around the globe.
“Since 2010, DIA has touched lives of hundreds of children,” the group’s website states. “Most of the children that DIA has sponsored had no means to go to school. They come from families where their parents have never been to school.”
Each year DIA enrolls children in primary and middle school in India and Pakistan.
“Through the generosity of donors, we can send the children each year to school and enroll more,” DIA said.
All the children go to English medium school and DIA provides books and school supplies as well. DIA does not discriminate between nationalities or religion. A child in need is all DIA considers to provide a helping hand.
“Every child has a right to get education and should not be deprived due to economic reasons,” said DIA, which is a nonprofit, charitable organization based in Bergen County.
DIA was founded in 2010 by New Jersey resident Priya Navani and “serves as a bridge to create a social platform for youth as well as sow seeds of kindness by giving to the less fortunate,” the group said.
DIA is run by a core group of adult board members including Hanita Walia, Reena Mathur, Priya Navani, Preeti Khurana, Shweta Patel, and Dr. Shweta Parakh along with annually elected youth officers.
The proceeds raised from the 2018 fundraiser sponsored more than 150 children’s schooling. DIA is a volunteer organization, so 100 percent of funds are donated to the cause.
For the last three years, DIA has also supported an inner city school in Detroit by funding field trips and school supplies for more than 80 children.
The April 26 fundraiser will be attended by almost 150 people residing in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. DIA has received proclamations for two years in a row from the mayor of Haworth for the volunteer work and community service that has been undertaken in the last seven years.
If interested in attending the fund-raiser or getting involved with DIA, log onto the group’s website for details.
