History & Timeline

The Share and Care Foundation®, born 1982 in New Jersey, is the brainchild of a small group of Indian-Americans. Share and Care began with a very simple idea: Convert what is considered “waste” in the Western world into much needed help in the East.

The idea became a reality when good quality used clothes and equipment—considered obsolete in the West but a huge leap forward in remote areas of the East—were soon being included in shipments. These supplies dramatically improved the quality of care in charitable hospitals.

From its infancy, we realized the benefits of volunteerism. Share and Care volunteers see ourselves as catalysts, promoting low-cost, high-return programs at the grass-roots level, which have grown exponentially in last several years.

Share and Care has been successful and instrumental in rebuilding lives in the rural communities of India where the government or the big nonprofits had little success. Our collaborative attitude and deep understanding of the rural issues helped overcome many challenges.

Our success can be attributed to millions of volunteer hours, passionate donors and the singular vision of Share and Care to improve the standard of living in rural India.

1983

It all began

Share and Care volunteers sent 2,000 lbs. of donated used clothing to India; first fundraising program raised $15,000.

1984

The Bhopal Disaster

The gas leak in Bhopal occurs in the fall. Relief efforts are extraordinary–including Share and Care’s first comprehensive crisis response.

1985

Used Medical Equipment Initiative

Share and Care helps bring this lifesaving action to several Indian villages.

1986

“Sponsor a Student”

Share and Care makes mass appeal to patrons in an early initiative to provide educational opportunities to India’s disadvantaged youth.

1987

Gujarat Province drought

The province experiences a significant drought, Share and Care is there with supplies.

1988

Rural villages adoptions

Share and Care adopts four rural villages and integrates support in health, education and welfare for these remote sites.

1989

Sewa Rural Training Center

Established under the Share and Care auspices.

Jhagadia healthcare learning center

The learning center provides a student new resource for acquiring basic knowledge about effective patient care.

1990

U.S. Scholarships

1991

Maharastra Foundation

Share and Care establishes partnership with the Maharastra Foundation.

Anjali Hospital

Share and Care builds its first 30-bed hospital in Ranasan.

1992

English-language program

Share and Care supports an English-language learning program for new U.S. immigrants from India.

“Experiment in Self-Help”

Share and Care establishes “experiment in self-help” in West Bengal.

1993

Dharamshila Cancer Foundation

Share and Care facilitates the Dharamshila Cancer Foundation’s installation of a new cancer treatment unit in New Delhi.

Maharastra Earthquake

Measuring 6.4, the Latur earthquake was the largest to be felt in India since its independence. Share and Care volunteers provide immediate relief with distribution of food and medicine.

1994

“School on Wheels”

Share and Care establishes the traveling “School on Wheels,” and donates it to the Sister Nivedita School in Rajkot.

1995

Narayan Seea Sanstha

Share and Care provides medical ambulance to Rajasthan organization.

1996

Scholarship Program milestone

Share and Care’s India scholarship program gets its first medical student.

1997

Hemodialysis machines

Share and Care sends 106 kidney hemodialysis machines to India.

1998

Kutch cyclone

A Western India cyclone touches down for the second time in just two years, with resulting 25-foot tidal waves for the town of Kutch. Share and Care quickly responds with blankets, food and clothing.

1999

Lucent Technologies Foundation awards $500,000 corporate grant

The Alcatel-Lucent Foundation (formerly Lucent Technologies Foundation) provides grant for far-reach youth development projects.

2000

Agilent Technologies Foundation awards $63,000 grant

Grant to institute Mother and Child Care Centre project at the Dr. M.L. Dhawale Memorial Trust in Delhi.

2001

Gujarat Earthquake

Share and Care, acting on behalf of concerned donors, sends over $5,000,000 to the survivors of a 7.9 earthquake that hit Gujarat on January 26.

2002

Yale University/Share and Care Internship Program

An internship program is established at Yale University for students to volunteer their services to Share and Care’s non-governmental organization affiliates in India.

2003

Cardiac care unit grant

A $239,000 grant is provided to build a fully equipped cardiac care unit in Cambay, Gujarat.

2004

Indian Tsunami

Share and Care contributes toward shelter, sustenance, and restoring livelihoods and hope, to 3,000,000 in Southern India and Sri Lanka.

2005

Hurricane Katrina

Share and Care provides U.S. humanitarian donations following this disaster that inspired remarkable support among supporters.

2006

Women’s Empowerment and Youth Development programs

Share and Care focuses on long-term change for the future of women and youth in India, and defines banner initiatives going forward.

2007

Share and Care 25th Anniversary

Celebration reinforces Share and Care’s commitment to the support and education of women and children in India, and as keys to improving the future of the country.

2011

Share and Care 30th Anniversary

2013

Share and Care Launches New Web Presence

2014

Share and Care Launches New Signature Program: Inspiring Change-Women Empowerment (WE)
Kashmir Valley Disaster

Share and Care Foundation steps up support for those affected by record monsoon rains across northern India.

2015

Share and Care Launches New Signature Program: Nirmal Village, a program designed to create awareness of sanitation & hygiene practices in rural India (NVP)
Nepal Earthquake

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake occurs on April 25. Share and Care Foundation provides funding for Nepal Earthquake Disaster Relief programs

2016

Educate 2 Graduate celebrates 10 years of reaching out and helping 1,289 worthy scholars attend college.
The fifth Health and Wellness Fair is held in northern New Jersey
Through our Nirmal Village Program, we built indoor toilets and provided sanitation & hygiene training and education for 770 families living in remote villages of Gujarat

2017

Gujarat Flood

The flood occurs in July. Share and Care Foundation provides funding for Gujarat Flood Disaster Relief programs

Total grants exceed $72 million in cash and kind since inception

2018

Made commitment to bring leaders from younger generation on Board of Trustees and Management Committee.

Young members organized our first 5K walk/run to bring awareness about various projects and raised over $70,000.

Cooking for a Cause, a community fundraiser event to enhance awareness of women’s issues and to raise resources to support Women Empowerment program.

Celebrated Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba’s 150th birthday along with the 100th year of Sabarmati Ashram by building a project around their core values.

2019

Kids4kids Internship

Our youth generation – Kids4kids (13-18 years) launched in 2018, participated in a summer internship in India & experienced volunteering firsthand, spending 2 weeks working daily 7 am to 7 pm, teaching underprivileged students at partner NGO’s of SCF’s Educate 2 Success Program. Interaction of 2 groups of students from different “worlds” gave an invaluable perspective of life across the globe.

2020

Pandemic Relief

During Pandemic SCF provisioned meals to migrant workers, distributed Grain Kits, mask & sanitizing material. Set up 5 Saree libraries via community drive and shipped over 4000 saris valued at $320,000 to help over 12000 families in Gujarat. Set up Khakhara project and provided equipment and training to over 100 ladies.

2021

Pandemic Relief

Pandemic relief funding of $800K+ helped over 1million+ people in India. Provided meals to over 5000 families in New Jersey, and thousands of meals to first responders. Provision of Oxygen concentrators, vaccination awareness & rehabilitation program, across 15 states in India. Additional 7 sari libraries were set up, giving artisan work during covid by making dresses from sarees.

2022

Celebrating 40th anniversary

Implementing succession plan by bringing Next Generation of leaders and elected members from the young professional wing to serve on the Management Committee, Board of Trustees and as President. Our Total grants exceeded $80 million in cash and kind since inception.

Our success can be attributed to millions of volunteer hours, passionate donors and the singular vision of Share and Care to improve the standard of living in rural India.