How to support India during the worst we've seen with COVID so far

Much of India is currently suffering through an intense uptick in COVID cases and hospitalizations right now. As cases rise, hospitals are struggling with providing essential services for those affected. Oxygen is in short supply and they can use our help to get necessary supplies like Oxygen canisters, concentrators, and PPE. As things relatively improve in the US with vaccination rates climbing (please, go get vaccinated if you haven’t yet), I wanted to find some ways to offer my support and assistance.

It’s impossible to ignore the impact India has had on the US and me personally. As the largest diaspora in the world, and one with a huge presence in Northern NJ, New York, and the tech industry, much of my life has been touched and influenced by incredible people of Indian heritage. I’ve been blessed with numerous mentors, peers, managers, and team members from India, and many of them are now suffering and dealing with massive anxiety as friends and family back in India are struggling. I’ve heard from several of my team members about the daily check in calls they are maintaining every morning to ensure family is ok and get updates. Everyone is affected in one way or another whether it’s actually getting COVID or being trapped in lockdown. It’s hard to imagine anyone being able to concentrate on anything else right now.

I wanted to find a small way to give back and to start offering my support to the people of India since they have been so instrumental in my life and career. I initially had a difficult time finding resources for supporting organizations doing good work in India due to contribution laws for non-nationals. However, now that the crises has grown and sparked more attention, more options are coming up. Here are some of the ones I was able to find or was referred from colleagues in case it helps anyone else help out as well.

Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy, Inc. (EIN number: 27-3235008) cddep.org
This was one of the first recommended organizations to me, and the one I decided to support first. Organized by folks from Princeton University, they are getting reusable metal oxygen cylinders to hospitals directly. I’ve followed their frequent updates and they have already made some large contributions in a short amount of time. I’ve been impressed with their organization and speedy impact.

Sewa USA http://sewausa.org/donate
This one came up in numerous places as a reputable organization as well. I haven’t followed it as closely, but donations are going directly to support and oxygen cylinders.

GiveIndia giveindia.org
Recommended by Google as one of the organizations they are supporting, they are also directly contributing to COVID relief and support.

Unicef.org
Recommended also by Google and Amazon, their support isn’t necessarily 100% to oxygen, but it is going to COVID relief as well as more general assistance and relief efforts.

Making a charitable donation isn’t the only way to help out though. In this time, it’s also important to simply offer compassion and support to our friends and colleagues who are impacted. The anxiety from the crises is incredibly difficult and empathy can go a long way to assisting and relief. There are already signs of racism around areas of large Indian populations like Edison, NJ, New York, and Jersey City. This can’t be allowed to stand. Our neighbors and friends need our support and help right now, not more reason to be anxious.

If you can, please consider supporting one of these organizations. If not, please offer the support, assistance, and empathy that you can in this trying time.