SACSS Continues New Jersey Outreach to Connect Underserved with Essential Services

Ramandeep Kaur, Program Manager, and Manisha Adhikari, Program Manager, talking to clients.

On July 25, the South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS) hosted a day-long community outreach event in India Square, Jersey City, New Jersey. The event marked SACSS’s second outreach initiative in New Jersey, following its inaugural outreach on Oak Tree Road, Edison.

The outreach focused on helping individuals and families understand and access essential public benefits, including health insurance, food assistance, and other support services. More than 45 community members attended the event, seeking information, asking questions, and receiving personalized assistance in their preferred South Asian languages.

Rehan Mehmood, Director of Health Services, talking to a client.

SACSS staff provided one-on-one guidance to help community members navigate challenges. The team included Rehan Mehmood, Director of Health Services; Mary Archana Fernandez, Director of Family Support Services; Manisha Adhikari, Program Manager; and Ramandeep Kaur, Program Manager, who assisted attendees in multiple South Asian languages and connected them with appropriate resources.

In conversation with Council Member Priti Dhariwal.

Sudha Acharya, Executive Director also attended the event, engaging with community members and strengthening relationships with leaders in New Jersey, including Council Member Priti Dhariwal, who emphasized the importance of understanding the needs of underserved communities and ensuring they have access to culturally and linguistically appropriate services.

The outreach also received strong support from SACSS New Jersey Volunteers, including Navina Sitaram, Gayatri Ramprasad & Shazia Buskens, and SACSS’s Board of Directors, including Treasurer Mysore Gandhi, and Saeed Hassan, reflecting the organization’s shared commitment to expanding access to essential services for South Asian communities across the region.

SACSS team, SACSS New Jersey volunteers, SACSS board members, and Council Member Priti Dhariwal.

Building on the success of its New Jersey outreach efforts, SACSS remains committed to connecting underserved individuals and families with the resources they need while expanding its reach to communities that continue to face language, cultural, and systemic barriers to accessing public benefits.