Sri Sathya Sai International Organization - USA

SSSIO members of the Northeast Region undertook a wide range of service projects - caring for the elderly, making blankets for children in hospitals and shelters, and preparing hot, healthy meals for the needy. The region also provided free health screenings twice a year at the Sai Unity Center in Lowell, MA, and participated in a walk and fundraiser for NAMI to spread awareness of mental illness. Green projects were a major undertaking. SSSIO volunteered their time and effort at a local farm that distributes fresh vegetables to soup kitchens. They also built a garden at the Sai Unity Center to grow vegetables to use in their weekly preparation of food to distribute to local shelters.

This video highlights three inspiring service projects by the SSSIO members of the Mid-Atlantic Region. An exciting development was the post-COVID revival of free medical camps in partnership with local healthcare organizations - the first, at a public library in New Jersey, and the second, in the Bronx, New York City. Tree planting was a major undertaking in keeping with the SSSIO One Million Tree Planting initiative. SSSIO members also continued with their long-standing distribution of hot meals and food packages to the homeless all across the region. Notably, SSSIO members in New York City reignited the 40-year-old Bowery Food Service, halted due to COVID.

The video provides an overview of service projects by SSSIO members of the Southeast Region. Sai volunteers continued to provide disaster relief and serve food to the homeless. An interesting highlight for Sai volunteers was carrying out chores at an animal rescue farm. SSE children made cards and bookmarks with inspiring messages, and packed school supplies in backpacks for needy children. Sai volunteers also took on Envirocare projects such cleaning a highway, mulching and tree planting. An exciting development was the YA’s devotional offering of the Glory of Sai program.

Sai volunteers from the Mid-Central Region continued with their many food service projects – delivering meals to the elderly, the homeless, and the Ronald McDonald House. They also provided food for the weekend to needy school children, and sorted food at a food pantry. In addition, they provided Christmas gifts to underserved women, and winter clothing to refugees and school children in poor neighborhoods. They volunteered at the World Bird Sanctuary and an animal shelter, and planted trees in poor urban areas and a local forest park. SSE children made thank you cards for veterans. Finally, the Sri Sathya Sai Center of St. Louis celebrated its Golden Jubilee.

The North Central Region has established many new rewarding community service projects while sustaining and strengthening ongoing traditional projects such as soup kitchens, winter clothing drives and nursing home visits. The video highlights three inspiring projects –tree planting in the Detroit metro area of Michigan; a medical camp in its 10th year in the Des Moines area of Iowa; and a tutoring and mentorship project in the Chicago metro area of Illinois.

The video features SSSIO members of the Pacific North Region engaged in projects such as the distribution of women’s hygiene kits to the homeless, the annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive, sorting and repacking food at a local warehouse, and building tiny houses for the homeless. Environmental projects include the restoration of a beach park and an SSE pollinator gardening activity. SSE children also made quilts for expectant mothers in need.

SSSIO members continued to serve the community in a myriad of wSSSIO members in the Northern California area continued to serve the community in a myriad of ways. A few projects are featured in the video - helping individuals with differing abilities enjoy a Day on the Beach; planting trees and flowering shrubs at various sites; preparing and distributing sandwiches to the homeless, with a focus on one such project spearheaded by SSE children.

The video highlights the activities of SSSIO members of the Southwest Region, including burrito and sandwich service projects to feed the homeless. Sai volunteers also visited the elderly, made baby blankets and participated in a walk for values. They built a community garden for a local family shelter and engaged in various tree planting activities.

The video features service activities across the South-Central Region, including a few large-scale feeding services that serve between 100 to 500 people. Members of the Region, including SSE children, have also been actively involved in building and sustaining community vegetable gardens, cleanup activities to protect the environment, and visiting the elderly. Distribution of hygiene kits and backpacks filled with school supplies is undertaken at least once or twice a year. In the past year, free health screening camps have been revived and one such camp is featured.