Indian-American non-profit ‘Vibha’ raises $130,000 at New Jersey gala, for social ventures

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Vibha, a social venture catalyst, held its 3rd Annual Fundraiser Gala Sept. 21, Vibha’s Vibe, at The Marigold in New Jersey.  Thirteen prominent members of the Indian-American community were the star performers,  each paired with a choreographer, and cheered on by families and friends.

Vibha’s Vibe has become a fun-filled evening of dance and donations, raising $130,000 at this year’s event which was highlighted by the Bollywood actor and model Dino Morea, the chief guest.

Three hundred donors and supporters from all walks of life showed up to support Vibha’s vision to ensure that every underprivileged child attains his or her right to education, health, and opportunity, a press release from organizers said.

Vibha director, Keyur Shah gave a history of the organization’s founding and purpose, including Sikshana’s success story.  Keyur compared public schools in the U.S. and India, bringing out the stark contrast that pulled at the heartstrings of attendees.

One of the most touching parts of the program was the pledge drive where profiles of boys and girls with a dream were projected, and the audience was requested to pledge certain amounts to fulfill their dreams, a press release from Vibha said, adding that it raised more than the target pledge amounts with multiple donors willing to support the children portrayed.

The stars gamely performed a variety of songs, even though some of them had never danced before in their lives. It was their belief in the organization’s work which propelled them to step up and take the stage, organizers said.

Morea got things going by joining the pledge drive by donating and pledging.  His personal endorsement and his urging that guests also pledge, and dancing with donors, made for a happy mood.

Tasneem Sabir and Raksha Tripathi, who were among the “star” performers, won the Top Fundraiser Award.

The Overall Vibe 2019 award went to Sejal Patel and Kruti Shah; Manjari Saini and Akash Minocha were the runners-up; Tarana and Aditya Dada bagged the Most Entertaining Performance award; the Innovative Performance award went to Vinita Kochhar and Sapna Advani; Tasneem Sabir and Ramya Ravuri won the Best Costume award.

Vibha’s Sponsors included – Title Sponsor – 27th Investments; Power sponsor – Novartis; and other sponsors like Township Pharmacy, Nuimage Med Spa and Saregama generous contributed.

Eighty-five percent of all that’s raised goes to the children in need.

The exclusive media sponsor ITV Gold and Parikh Worldwide Media helped spread the message of Vibha and raise awareness of its mission, the press release said.