The year 2021 is coming to a close. Karuna Charities has done its utmost to support the needy in these very critical and trying times. Karuna Charities made an all-out effort to collect funds and was very happy with the response from all of you. In 2020, we had an online Fundraiser with the inimitable Anup Jalota, an online live program from Mumbai and in 2021, we felt bold enough to do an outdoor activity and hence the golf tournament which proved to be very popular. 
We have our goals in force and we did a fabulous Fundraising Drive supported by a very responsive community and gathered funds, always keeping our goals in sight. College education is very important. The needy students needed money for books, food, housing and transportation. We were able to support our four endowed scholarship holders, Montgomery College, Nothern Virginia Community College (NVCC), the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) and The Universities at Shady Grove.
It was and is a very tough time for women and families in shelters, for not only were the shelters full and alternate arrangements had to be made by the managements in nearby hotels and even by putting tents. The vulnerable women faced many unusual challenges. Many stayed home fearful of the pandemic, scarcity of accommodation outside and thus were subjected to unusual and increased amount of abuse.  We worked with individual cases already in the shelters. The Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter (LAWS) for instance did tremendous amount of work in this area and Karuna Charities was happy to set up an ongoing Karuna fund in the shelter to be dispensed according to the needs of the women. Little things like a change of locks for safety measures, transportation to reach a lawyer, etc., become so significant. Karuna Charities also sent funds to Texas to two organizations for relief work.
Karuna Charities contributed wholeheartedly to food banks, shelters in the DC metropolitan area, and also reached out to COVID affected people in India with much needed medical supplies.  Fresh food was sent to shelters in the hope of bringing some relief to deprived, stressed, and unhappy needy people.
Just as were hoping for some normalcy in these tumultuous times, Omicron has made its appearance! It is a small inconvenience to wear a mask, but it works wonders. Vaccinations have proved to be useful. 
Karuna Charities is grateful to the community for the stouthearted support and thanks all who have contributed so that we can continue serving our community. Do continue to donate in kind or in person for thus we can continue to reach our goals.

Karuna Charities Donates to India —$10,000.00

Karuna Charities has donated $5,000 to Greater Washington Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GWAPI) and $5,000 to Guru Nanak Foundation of America (GNFA) for Hemkunt Foundation, who will each send medical supplies and equipment on behalf of Karuna Charities to India towards COVID relief efforts. 
Karuna Charities believes that human beings in spite of everything have goodness in them! We are all on a journey here on this earth. We all are familiar with life, its trivialities, its gravity, its fragility! Always be compassionate. And ofcourse ‘if your compassion does not include yourself it is incomplete. To  understand Compassion turn inwards to yourself!! Karuna Means COMPASSION !! Karuna Charities, like so many other organizations, is donating towards COVID Relief in India, where the Pandemic is at its worst–Together we shall  overcome!!!
Amrit Kalotra, President, Karuna Charities Washington Inc.

Money sent abroad by Karuna Charities for buying medical supplies for the Covid drive in India.

Below is: (1) a receipt for $5,000 from the Guru Nanak Foundation of America, Inc.; and (2) an acknowledgement letter for the receipt of $5,000 from the Greater Washington Association of Physicians of Indian Origin.

Guru_Nanak_Receipt
Guru_Nanak_Receipt

GREATER WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION OF PHYSICIANS OF INDIAN HERITAGE
GWAPI2021@gmail.com Or Info@gwapi.org

May 24, 2021

Dear Karuna Charities (Amrit Kalotra/Jasbir Sethi), As always stated, it is our beloved GWAPI members and friends who make us what we are today. Our strength, unity, and successes come from within. The past month has been a true testament to this statement. During this time of great heartbreak due to the Covid19 crisis in India, we’ve been comforted, encouraged, and humbled by the outpouring of generosity and support from within our own members, and the Executive team is immensely grateful and proud. Karuna Charities, your contribution in the amount of $5,000 going towards the Oxygen Concentrator Drive is a grand gesture. In fact, your contribution is helping us lead the way in responding to this unprecedented crisis. Thanks to our membership, we have provided 100 Oxygen Concentrators which are being distributed amongst various charities in Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu, Ludhiana & Jalandhar. (Rasoi on Wheels, Hemkunt Foundation, Mata Gujri Hospital, Beena Anand Charitable Trust, CIIWI just to name a few). Additionally, we have GWAPI family, and friends on the ground in India orchestrating the distribution to the various charities. This is just remarkable!!!

Karuna Charities, thank you for helping us meet the challenges of this moment, so we can continue as physicians to provide the highest order of care with inclusion, integrity, compassion, accountability, respect, and excellence!

Attached please find a copy of your Acknowledgment Letter that can be used for tax exemption purposes as GWAPI is a 501c3 Non-Profit Entity.

Sincerely and with warmest regards,
Gurdeep S. Chhabra, MD- President
Rajeev Khanna, MD- Chairman Board of Trustees
Trishna C. Batra, MPH- Executive Director

Karuna Charities’ maiden attempt in the world of Zoom concluded very happily and very successfully. We are grateful to our sponsors and supporters who made this concert possible so Karuna Charities can continue to serve during this pandemic. With hope and gratitude, on the strength of music and service, we will persevere. Thank you Anup Jalotaji, the Samrat of Bhajans and Ghazals, you entertained us in a truly melodious manner and lived up to your title.

On Thursday, March 5, 2020, Karunites served a delicious, hot, home-cooked Indian meal at the Embry Rucker Homeless Shelter in Reston, VA. Participants were: Asha Dhingra, Neeta Bagalkotkar, Jyoti Gujral, Savita Malhotra, Gita Bhatia, Shashi Anand, Sujata Avasthi, Amrit Kalotra, Sangita Kalotra, Kiran Masson, Madhu Gupta, and Rani Varma.

On Sunday, November 3, Karuna Charities Fundraiser, the 21st Grand Diwali Ball was held at the Holiday Inn in Gaithersburg. The pictures show some highlights of the event.

On April 16, 2019, Marc Elrich, the County Executive of Montgomery County, Maryland awarded a Certificate to Karuna Charities, Amrit Kalotra. President in Recognition and Appreciation of Karuna’s commitment and professional support for the crime victims in 2018.

On Thursday, March 14, 2019, members of Karuna Charities, Savita Malhotra, Santosh Thakral, Kamlesh Gulati, Asha Dhingra, Benu Abrol, Shashi Anand, Sujata Avasthi, Sangita Kalotra and Amrit Kalotra, cooked and served a meal for 120 people at a shelter in Virginia with love, fervor and enthusiasm. It was very heartening when we were leaving the premises, to be greeted by two men sitting outside with a loud “thank you for the delicious food!” Karuna Charities appreciates the contributions made in kind by Rani Varma, Ritu Singh, Meena Singh, Mona Khanna, and Usha Saluja.