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Charity a passion for Indian American
Over 200 organisations in India have received donations from 66-year-old Jaydev Desai.
For almost 31 years now, charity has been a passion for 66-year-old Indian American Jaydev Desai. Since 1975 the New Jersey resident has collected $235,000 in donations in the US for poor people, mentally retarded children and disadvantaged students in India.
Over 200 organisations in India have received donations from Desai. His target this year is $20,000.
He has come a long way since his first year when he collected $800 in 1975. Desai got involved in raising funds when his uncle wrote a letter to him from Mumbai, requesting him to help needy patients. To start with he donated $300 from his own pocket and raised another $500 from his friends and sent it to a hospital in Mumbai.
Since then it has become a yearly affair.
Desai, who works as a project manger in a private engineering firm, manages to find time for charity. "It is my evening and weekend activity," he said. He, however, plans to pursue it full-time when he retires.
He came to the US in 1964. After completing his graduation in mechanical engineering from Gujarat University, Desai came to New Mexico University to do his masters degree. After that he did an MBA from Roosevelt University.
He moved to the New York metropolitan area in 1978 and has since concentrated his efforts in this area.
Things were going fine till 9/11 happened. Due to the economic downturn, Desai wasn't able to raise much for donations.
"The last three years were really tough," Desai said. To deal with that, Desai found an innovative way. Soon after 9/11, he approached local grocery stores like Shop Rite and asked them if they would help him if he sold their cards.
Starting November 2001, Desai began selling "gift cards" for Shop Rite, Path Mark and ACME groceries stores. So far he has sold $80,000 gift cards. For every card that he sells he gets five percent on the selling price of the gift cards for donation.
"On every $100 worth of cards that I sell, I make $5," said Desai. He buys cards in bulk -- minimum of $1,000 -- prepaid to these stores.
The cards are available in $50, $20 and $10 denominations. In the case of Shop Rite cards, you have to recharge it after one year. The cost is $2.
Desai believes it is a good business proposal for grocery stores since they get money upfront. However, convincing customers hasn't been easy for him.
"Even though selling gift cards is easier than asking for donation money, I still face an uphill battle with big institutions like Visa and MasterCard. As Visa and MasterCard give points to the card holders (every time they use it), people tell me that by getting gift cards from me they have to sacrifice their points on credit cards," said Desai.
He is hoping that soon he will be able to rope in local Indian grocery stores in this effort.
Each year between October and January, Desai organises funds from family, friends and co-workers. The donations are then sent to the Indian American Foundation (IAF) in New York, the non-profit organisation that raises funds for various purposes in India.
For Desai, charity began at home. His mother, Vasumati Behn, a freedom fighter in India, founded a voluntary organisation in 1960. She and her three friends started Gujarat Stree Pragati Mandal to help mentally retarded children.
Desai regularly goes to India. In January this year, he in collaboration with the Ahmedabad Medical Association organised a two-day health camp in the city.
Funds are sent every year to institutions such as the Mother Teresa Foundation in Kolkata; Baba Bhagat Puran Singh Pingrawala in Amritsar and the Ramakrishna Mission in Jaipur.
