EMPOWERING 695,077 CHILDREN TO REALISE THEIR DREAMS 2018 DINNER BOOKLET INDEX
1. A Note From The President’s Desk 1
2. About CRY America – Who Are We & What We Do 3
3. The Impact We’ve Created In The Lives Of Children 4
4. The CRY NJ Dinner Committee 5
5. Pledge 2018 - Dinner Program 6
6. The CRY NJ Dinner Table Captains 7
7. Speakers, Artists & Special Guests 9
8. The Wind Beneath Their Wings – Walking The Ramp For Children! 13
9. The Impact Created By CRY America Project Partners 17
10. Auction Items 21
11. Acknowledgments 23 A NOTE FROM
THE PRESIDENT’S DESK Dear CRY America Supporter, Every child has the potential to shine and with your support we have empowered these children to recognize their potential to realize their dreams. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart; for all that you have done to ensure happier childhoods for the children in India and USA.
As our partners, you have helped us transform the lives of 695,077 children through your constant encouragement and support. You have helped us send more children to school, enabled them to stay there and continue their education.
There are children Like Naveen, who has won a national award for his invention after being enrolled into school, from being a child laborer. There also is Arti who was saved from child marriage, not only went back to school but also encouraged other children around her to do the same.
It is stories like these that reinforce my faith in the power of all of us coming together for children. The tireless efforts of our partners, donors, volunteers, staff and media supporters have made stories like these come true.
When you donated to CRY or participated in CRY events, you made sure that our children’s voices were heard. It is our events like the CRY Gala Dinners, the CRY Walks, etc. that bring together concerned individuals like YOU, to amplify our cause and bring about lasting change for children.
We have touched the lives of 695,077 children living across 3,676 villages & slums through 73 projects across India. Thank you so much for being our backbone and it is my hope that we’ll continue to transform children’s lives together in the years to come!
With faith and goodwill, Shefali Sunderlal, President, CRY America
1 2 WHO ARE WE THE IMPACT AND WHAT WE DO WE’VE CREATED IN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN
ABOUT CRY AMERICA IMPACT NUMBERS CRY America is a 501(c)(3) non-profit driven by its vision of a just world in which all children have equal opportunities to develop to their full potential and realize their dreams. Your involvement and views are important to helping us ensure that the rights of underprivileged children are protected and honored. CRY America believes that it is possible to ensure lasting 695,077 change for children and we ensure that children are restored their basic right CHILDREN to education, healthcare and are protected from child marriage and abuse.
CRY America supports projects that empower communities to ensure the best interests of the children in India and USA with the relentless support of our donors and volunteers. 3,676 VILLAGES VISION A happy, healthy and creative child whose rights are protected and honored in a society that is built on respect for dignity, justice, and equity for all. 25,153 MISSION DONORS To enable people to take responsibility for the situation of underprivileged children, especially Indian, and so motivate them to seek resolution through individual and collective action thereby enabling children to realize their full potential, and people to discover their potential for action and change. 2,000+ VOLUNTEERS 73 PROJECTS 3 4 DINNER COMMITTEE PLEDGE 2018 - DINNER PROGRAM
Cocktail Hour 7pm to 8pm
Main Program 8pm to 11pm
RUPAL & HARSH PATIL Dance by Ariaki Dandawate
Talk by Shefali Sunderlal, CRY President
Talk by Ravi Bhalla, Mayor Hoboken
Song by Sparsh Shah SATWANT NARULA The Wind beneath Their Wings - Walking the Ramp for Child Rights! Dinner Service
Talk by Malay Kumar, Prayatn Project Partner ANITA & AJAY AGARWAL Prayatn Project Video
Pledge Session Led by the Dinner Committee Auction Honoring CRY Sponsors & ROOPAM & SANJEEV JAIN Major Gift Donors During Dinner Music and Dancing 5 6 TABLE CAPTAINS
CRY America Donor and Supporter says, “Children are our future and together we need to invest in them.” CRY America Donor and Supporter says, “Support children’s rights and dare them to dream.” ARATI & SRIKANTH NAGARAJ RUPAL & HARSH PATIL
CRY America Donor and Supporter says, “Every child “The best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your own everywhere has the right to be loved, nurtured & groomed to be arm” - Swedish proverb a good human being. I support CRY because I believe that this is the sentiment that drives the organization.” PUNEETA KALRA & MAHESH KRISHNA SATWANT NARULA
CRY America Donor and Supporter says, “I am proud to be associated with CRY since 1989. I applaud the staff in USA and CRY America Donor and Supporter India for going above and beyond to fulfill its mission and make a difference in children's lives.” SHEFALI & SUMIT SALWAN ANITA & AJAY AGARWAL
CRY America Donor and Supporter says, “We are proud to be associated with CRY. We have the satisfaction of knowing that any “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of effort or contribution we make, big or small, goes a long way in others.” – A quote by Mahatma Gandhi. improving the lives of so many children.”
ROOPAM & SANJEEV JAIN FALGUNI & PRASHANT PANDYA
CRY America Donor and Supporter says, "The test of our progress CRY America Donor and Supporter says, “Children are the future is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have and investing in children ensures that we each do our little bit to much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too make this world a better place.” little." I admire the work CRY is doing in India and across the world to end child hunger & poverty by enabling people to open their hearts and their wallets for the less fortunate” REENA & SAMIR MATHUR KAMAL ARORA & PAYAL MEHTA 7 8 SPEAKERS, ARTISTS &
SPECIAL GUESTS Ravi Bhalla is a 17 year resident of Hoboken and 8 year member of the Hoboken City Council. He received his B.A. in Political Psychology from UC Berkeley, MSc. in Public Administration and Public Policy from the London School of Economics and a Juris Doctor Degree from Tulane Law School in New Orleans.
Ravi Bhalla, Ravi worked hard alongside Mayor Zimmer and his council Mayor Hoboken, colleagues to establish tangible reforms in Hoboken. Municipal Special Guest taxes were reduced and Hoboken’s finances were put on a responsible long-term path. The City’s bond rating was improved from junk bond status in 2009 to AA+ in 2013, and had a responsible cash surplus for the first time in years.
Congratulations to Mayor Ravi Bhalla, who was elected Hoboken’s 39th Mayor on November 7, 2017!
Meetu Chilana is an actress, singer, songwriter and TV host. She played the lead vocalist character in two Cirque du Soleil shows, Zarkana and Kooza. She has also acted in Mira Nair's musical adaptation of Monsoon Wedding at the Berkeley Repertory Theater with Javed Jaffrey, and is currently working on a musical about the life of Gandhi. Meetu Chilana, Singer & Actor, When she’s not on stage, Meetu hosts AVS TV, an internationally Emcee syndicated program on Sony Entertainment Television. Her voice can be heard on UBISOFT’s video game Far Cry 4 as well as numerous books on Audible.com. She has released two EPs of original music that blend Western and Indian folk sensibilities. For more information, please visit: www.MeetuChilana.com
9 10 Sparsh is a 14-year-old child prodigy who was born with an incurable disease called Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which makes his bones extremely brittle. He has a wonderful voice and has given 75 live performances including GRAMMY PARK as the Next Malay Kumar is a post graduate in Rural Development from Xavier Generation: Emerging Artist, NBA Preseason Referee Meet, NY Institute of Social Service (XISS), Ranchi. He has worked with civil Knicks Vs Phoenix Sun Game, appeared on several radio and society organizations for 25 years ranging from implementation Sparsh Shah, television shows such as BBC, NBC, SONY and has hosted to funding. He founded Prayatn in 1992 – an organization Singer shows as an MC. committed to work on the issues of women and children. Despite all the challenges, Sparsh's spirit is unbreakable. He Malay Kumar, Prayatn has been working in remote parts of Rajasthan and has aspires to sing in front of a billion people one day and inspire them Prayatn Project been creating models of child development and child protection that even a kid like him with such a severe medical condition can Partner through community based systems. It has also influenced the achieve his dreams. policy of two states (Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh) through its efforts. Prayatn works with a primitive tribe called Sahariya which has literacy levels less than 20% (in the case of women it is below Ariaki is currently a second year undergraduate student at NYU 10%) and very high malnutrition rates of more than 92%. Tandon School of Engineering. She has been training in Kathak for the over 13 years under her Guru, Pandita Archana Joglekar, and completed her Visharad (bachelor’s degree) and is now pursuing her Alankar (master’s) in Kathak, and also is a examiner With a Master’s degree in Social Work from Delhi University, for the SAMVED exam board. Aria gave her first solo Kathak Shefali has held leadership positions at CRY India and CRY Ariaki performance in Mumbai at the Dinanath Mangeshkar Hall in America for 25 years. Shefali was Director Development Support Dandawate, memory of her Guru, the late Smt. Asha Joglekar. for 11 years, where she successfully established the grant Dancer management function, of CRY India. She was appointed President She has also trained for 11 years in folk, Bollywood and at CRY America in 2003 and has led the organization with a focus semi-classical dance styles from Smt. Madhavi Devasthale, Shefali on brand building, civic engagement, fundraising and grant making. finishing in the top five in season two of Dance India Dance USA. Sunderlal, With the support of 25,153 donors & over 2,000 volunteers, CRY Aria is a company dancer on Exodus Artistry, and a cast member CRY President America has transformed the lives of 695,077 children living across of Bollywood Boulevard, which premiered at the Lincoln Center 3,676 villages & slums through support to 73 Projects in India & the earlier this year. She is currently touring across the country. USA. Shefali lives in New York with her son Vikrant.
We would like to thank Ravi Bhatia for lending his time, skills and support towards CRY America’s events. He has helped us amplify the cause of children’s rights through his photography!
Ravi Bhatia, Photographer
11 12 THE WIND BENEATH THEIR WINGS - Real life professionals are walking the ramp this evening for child rights! India is a diverse WALKING THE RAMP FOR CHILD RIGHTS! country with different states, colors, languages, clothes, food etc. However it is ultimately “unity in diversity” that is important for all of us! Every child from every state In India is precious and we are walking together, so children can fly!
CRY America thanks all the participants for walking the ramp for child rights! We also thank Rohit Baxi & the Satarangi School of Fusion for assisting with the choreography of the show.
“The children are our future. Let them not CRY out in vain. Let’s step up together and make their tomorrow brighter! We walk today so they can fly! Help us help them!!”
RITU & ROMIL BHAGAT
“Today’s children will be tomorrow’s leaders. Let’s make the future of our world the best we can by supporting CRY- it’s all about Child Rights & You!”
VINEETA & SANDEEP KHANNA
“Children are our future and together we need to invest in them.”
ARATI NAGARAJ & HARSH PATIL
13 14 “Early childhood and secondary education with a warm loving and healthy family environment is a right of every child. CRY has been “Our small effort at helping underprivileged children in India, wipe instrumental and successful in delivering this message across vast their tears.” diverse audiences across the world. Thanks to CRY so many underprivileged kids have been uplifted to a brighter future.”
ARATI & BADRI NATH SONIA & JAYEN PALEKAR
“Thanks to CRY the rights of millions of children are being protected, nourished and enlightened. It is an honor for me to be “Children are our greatest treasure. They are our future.” part of CRY and know that I have been instrumental in changing - Nelson Mandela the quality of life for at least one child. Thank you CRY for giving me this opportunity” JAYSHREE SAWHNEY & ROOPAM JAIN VARUN PALEKAR
"Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope “I believe we are changing the world one child at a time through CRY.” for the future" - John F Kennedy
TINA SHROFF MAVINKURVE & DR. BINDU AMIN KHANNA RUPAL & HIMANSHU SHAH
15 16 CRY America supported project - Prayatn Sansthan was founded in 1992 by Malay Kumar. Prayatn is an organization that is committed to working not only on issues of women and children empowerment but also on community CRY AMERICA PARTNER - development as a whole. Prayatn is recognized as a leading organization working on child rights PROJECT PRAYATN issues with a special focus on health and nutrition, covering 30 villages under Shahabad block of Baran district in Rajasthan, India. Baran is the only district in Rajasthan which has majority of Saharia population (a primitive vulnerable SANSTHAN tribal group), where the child health and nutrition scenario in the intervention areas is abysmally very poor. CRY America supports Prayatn to address health, education and nutrition PROJECT PRAYATN IMPACT related issues of children through community meetings, awareness drives • 5,837 children impacted • 30 children’s group formed/strengthened and formation of community member committees to monitor services. • 577 birth registrations • 225 children immunized Prayatn is also equipped with the ability to work directly at grassroots with added competency of conducting research, networking with stakeholders and lobbying & advocacy with government. YOU have given Ama a healthy start to life! Two year Ama was severely malnourished but her parents were totally unaware about her situation or the effect, that malnourishment has on a child’s overall development. It was only when Ama’s father attended one of the community meetings organized by CRY America supported Project Prayatn on the various issues of health & nutrition, did he realize that his daughter was severely malnourished. The community members along with the team of Prayatn then advised him to take Ama to the malnutrition treatment center, followed by regular home visit to monitor her growth. Ama is now receiving proper care and nutrition at the malnutrition centre. She is on her way to living a happy, healthy and nutritious life. Mukesh, Ama’s father has now become an active member of the community collective and often shares his experience with others so that they realize the importance of addressing the issue of malnutrition amongst the children early on.
17 18 CRY America supported project - PORD was founded in 1992 by Mrs. J. Lalithamma. PORD is an organization with an objective to build awareness among dalits and to work for sustainable development, with a key focus CRY AMERICA PARTNER - on education. Project PORD’s activities are spread across Thamballapalle Mandal, in the PEOPLES ORGANISATION Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh which is an underdeveloped area and the situation of dalits and tribals (especially women and children) is extremely poor. FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT CRY America supports PORD to effectively promote child rights in the rural and urban areas of the 2 blocks. The PORD team strategically uses cultural events as a medium in sensitization of community & parents, to bring (PORD) changes in behaviour, attitude, and practices in stakeholders. PORD also has a strong focus on advocacy and it has developed a rapport PROJECT PRAYATN IMPACT with government departments / committees – CWC (Child Welfare Committee), District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), Police Department, • 7,071 children impacted • 79 children’s group formed/strengthened Judiciary and Labor department at the district level for protection of the rights • 49 birth registrations • 28 children removed from labor of children in the community. YOU have empowered Revathi to become a fierce Child Rights Ambassador! Revathi and her sister came to Madanapalle town from a village Divitivaripalle in the neighbouring Mandal in Andhra Pradesh to live with their grandparents and continue secondary education as their village did not have a secondary school. Revathi was in class 8 when she learnt about CRY America supported project, People’s Organisation for Rural Development (PORD). As a part of their door-to-door campaign, they invited her to join the children’s collective in the colony too. Although she was very eager to join the child collective, her grandparents reluctantly agreed. Once she joined the collective Revathi said, “I made sure I participated in every possible activity of the child collective. I found my calling when I learnt about child rights. It gave me a means to deal with the problem of child rights abuse which was all around me in the slum. I now had a tool to act on it. The vulnerability and innocence of children moved me. I thus decided to spread awareness about child rights and mechanisms to protect them.” Her enthusiasm for learning gave her great success. In 2 years, she started participating in capacity building programs. And with confidence, she started spreading the message of child rights. Looking at her involvement and potential, she was made the Secretary of the Child Collective. She then started visiting several schools to speak about child rights. Revathi has a special spark in her and is extremely motivated to work for children. She has now become a role-model in the community. As an ambassador of child rights, she is an inspiration for several other children too. 19 20 AUCTION ITEMS
Painting by noted Painting by noted Painting by noted Artist Ram Kumar artist JMS Mani artist Badri Narayan
Outfit by Abu Jani Saree by Sandeep Khosla Jacket by Ritu Beri Anita Dongre
Painting by noted Painting by noted Painting by noted artist Prakash artist Thota artist Sachin Sagare Deshmukh Vaikuntam
Evening Clutch by Pashmina Shawl by Kundan Set by Sabyasachi Ahilaya Aquamarine
Painting by noted Painting by noted Painting by noted artist Vrindavan artist Nitin Nangare artist Suresh Gulage Solanki
Earrings by Autographed Cricket Rosentique Fine Bat by Saurav Darth Vader Helmet Jewellery Ganguly
Painting by noted Painting by noted Painting by noted artist Dinkar Jadhav artist Deepa Hekre artist Jagannath Paul
21 22
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