>From the JOSEPH NAIK VAZ INSTITUTE ..... Dear all
Berkeley/Richmond/El Cerrito, California, has now joined members of the Goan, Sri Lankan and Mangalorean communities in the San Francisco Bay Area to help reduce hunger and honor the memory of Blessed Vaz. Thanks to one anonymous donor from California who has pledged to match all donations up to $2,500. This year is the 300th death anniversary (tercentenary) of a great Goan, Blessed Vaz, see http://josephnaikvaz.org/. He is also known in the Mangalorean and Sri Lankan communities as their Apostle for having rescued the Church there under Dutch dominance and Dutch persecution in the seventeenth century. He served the poor and less fortunate across religious communities. Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, and Catholic communities showed him great affection and he serves as a role-model of inter-religious harmony. In Sri Lanka, he survived only because of the protection of the Buddhist King of Kandy from the Dutch. In his memory, members of the San Francisco Bay Area Goan, Mangalorean, and Sri Lankan communities and the Los Angeles community are organizing the Blessed Vaz' "Service to the Community" Day on April 21 which is his birthday. You are kindly requested to donate food cans to one of our REGIONAL LEADERS in your area. After you drop off the food, they will collect the food cans and personally deliver it' to the food banks by April 21. Please email them (based on where you live) and arrange to drop off food cans or a check if you prefer by April 21 (checks can be made payable to the respective food bank - see below). For types of food to donate please see http://www.shfb.org/ffdmostneededfoods Please email the REGIONAL LEADERS in your area if you are interested in donating and they will let you know their drop off address: 1. San Francisco Peninsula and San Francisco city: Sharon D'lima (rodri...@netscape.net). Sharon is willing to pick up donated food from seniors if needed. Food collected in this area will be donated to SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK at their San Carlos location, see http://www.shfb.org/contact 2. South Bay and San Jose: Louise Correa (macap...@hotmail.com). Food collected in this area will be donated to SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK at their San Jose location, see http://www.shfb.org/contact 3. East and North Bay: Melanie Moniz (melanie.m.mo...@mercer.com). Food or money collected in the East and North Bay will be donated to the FOOD BANK OF CONTRA COSTA AND SOLANO, 4010 Nelson Avenue, Concord, California (see http://www.foodbankccs.org/) 4. Los Angeles Area: Jeannette Dalgado (jeanette.dalg...@mattel.com). Food collected in this area will be donated to the Food Pantry for the needy at American Martyrs Church in Manhattan Beach. 5. Berkeley/Richmond/El Cerrito area: Filomena Giese (filomenagi...@yahoo.com). Food collected in this area will be donated to nearby food banks for the homeless. 6. If you are not sure of your area, please email Melanie Moniz at melanie.m.mo...@mercer.com and she will direct you. Please get your children, grand-children, nephews/nieces, etc. and their friends involved in this effort. There is no minimum or maximum limit on the number of cans or amounts you donate. Please drop off your food cans or checks PRIOR TO APRIL 21 to the REGIONAL LEADERS above and not to the food banks directly. We urge Goans, Sri Lankans, Mangaloreans and their associations and organizations outside of the San Francisco Bay Area and throughout the world to do something similar in their local community, including doing something for orphans and senior citizens in their community. Please email us at josephnaik....@gmail.com with your photos or videos of your donation as we would like to place some of these on the website. Let's reduce hunger in our communities and remember a great man (Blessed Vaz) who provided a good example. Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity. A special thank you to the three REGIONAL LEADERS and their families: Filomena, Jeanette, Louise, Melanie, and Sharon. Please pass this message on to your friends, family, and email groups. Sincerely, JOSEPH NAIK VAZ INSTITUTE http://josephnaikvaz.org/
