Share & Care Foundation 34th Annual Gala Bollywood Extravaganza Raises $800,000 for Rural India’s Impoverished Women and Children
Singer-musician Parthiv Gohil and actor Omi Vaidya captivate crowd of 1,600; and raise awareness for life-changing education, healthcare, and female empowerment programs
PARAMUS, NJ—December 13, 2016—The Share & Care Foundation held its 34th Annual Gala & Fundraiser December 10, 2016, at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, NJ. The annual event honors the foundation’s supporters and raises awareness and funds toward Share & Care’s mission to create opportunities for deserving, economically challenged women and children of rural India. This year’s theme—I AM EMPOWERED—drew a crowd of more than 1,600 and raised $800,000, with contributions still coming in.
The annual gala draws in huge crowds as one of the must-attend holiday season events in the New Jersey/New York metropolitan area. This year’s event was no exception. This year’s star attraction was Sur Sargam, starring Parthiv Gohil and a full symphony orchestra. With musical assistance from Ms. Jahnvi Shrimankar, the show featured Indian cinema’s most beloved past and present hits.
A household name in India, Gohil’s career includes TV, movies, and more than 2,000 stage performances worldwide, including the World Music Festival at London. Gohil’s first U.S. appearance more than a decade ago was through Share & Care, and he generously provided his world-class extravaganza at cost because of his strong ties to the foundation and its mission.
Beyond fundraising, beyond the music, Share & Care’s annual gala serves to recognize and celebrate the supporters, volunteers, and advocates who make it possible to serve the underprivileged of rural India.
The music, lights, and sounds thoroughly enchanted the audience made up of both new and long-time supporters from all walks of life. Special guest and Share & Care Foundation ambassador Omi Vaidya was also on hand to help mobilize the crowd. Vaidya is one of the few actors and filmmakers who works in both Hollywood and Bollywood. He made his mark in Bollywood in the box office record-breaking movie 3 Idiots. His work in front of U.S. audiences includes roles on The Office, Arrested Development, Bones, Growing Up Fischer, and The Comeback.
Beyond fundraising, beyond the music, Share & Care’s annual gala serves to recognize and celebrate the supporters, volunteers, and advocates who make it possible to serve the underprivileged of rural India. Delivering top-notch, superior family entertainment is just one way the foundation says thank you each year. And while Share & Care was founded on the principles of open dialog and inclusion, the annual event provides the perfect atmosphere for candid discussions among everyone involved.
This year’s presentation to supporters highlighted three landmark projects:
- Women Empowerment: Impacted the lives of more than 6,000 women experiencing violence, discrimination, injustice, and consequent emotional and mental distress.
- Nirmal Village Program: Built indoor toilets for 750 families and provided sanitation & hygiene education and training.
- Healthcare 2 Unreached: Reached year two of a zero infant and maternal mortality rate in our pilot project in Kerja, Rajasthan, which had previously been among the highest in the world.
- Plus: Continued progress and success in our Educate 2 Success and Educate 2 Graduate programs.
