SACSS New Jersey Outreach
On March 28, the South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS), in collaboration with Parikh Worldwide Media, hosted a day-long outreach event in Edison, New Jersey, marking its official New Jersey kick-off.
The event focused on helping individuals and families understand and access essential public benefits, including health insurance and food assistance, and was very well received by the community. Over 50 community members attended the first kick-off, inquiring about a range of services and seeking support in South Asian languages.
The event was attended by Mayor Brad J. Cohen of East Brunswick, Mayor Hemant Marathe of West Windsor, Council Member Biral Patel and Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media, all of whom emphasized the importance of expanding access to essential resources and supporting community well-being.
The success of the kick-off event was made possible through strong partnerships and support from Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Chairman and Publisher of Parikh Worldwide Media. Parikh praised the organization for helping individuals who lack resources or face barriers in accessing government benefits and healthcare in New York and New Jersey, and emphasized that healthcare is a fundamental right. He also welcomed SACSS to New Jersey and pledged continued support for outreach and community initiatives.
“Being able to talk to somebody in the same language is such a big comfort to them,” West Windsor Mayor Hemant Marathe said. “I admire them and really thank them for putting in a lot of time and effort.”
Brad J. Cohen, Mayor of East Brunswick and an OBGYN physician, reflected on his lifelong commitment to service and praised SACSS for helping build a better future for the community.
Councilman Biral Patel of Edison spoke about his long-standing passion for community service, sharing that his commitment was inspired by observing other community leaders, and offered SACSS unconditional support from Edison Township and its leadership, including Mayor Sam Joshi.
Executive Director of SACSS, Sudha Acharya, was happy to see the enthusiastic support of New Jersey community members towards SACSS expanding to New Jersey. “Together, we’re not just connecting our neighbors to essential benefits like health care and food support, we’re reaffirming the dignity and hope that every family deserves,” she said.
“This event was a good opportunity to meet with community members in New Jersey and learn about the needs and challenges they experience while accessing public benefits. It will help us design programs that address the unique needs of community members in New Jersey,” said Mary Archana Fernandez, Director of Family Support Services.
“Meeting community members in New Jersey helped my team understand their healthcare access needs. Many of the people who came today were seniors inquiring about NJ family care and Medicare, and they were excited by the prospect of SACSS coming to NJ so that they can seek services from enrollment specialists in their language,” said Rehan Mehmood, Director of Health Services.
The event also received strong support from SACSS Board Directors Devi Ramchandran (President), Sucheta Ponda (Secretary), Mysore Gandhi (Treasurer) Binodh D’Silva and Malavika Khullar reflecting a strong collective commitment to serving the community.
SACSS Young Professionals Committee (YPC) members Saranya Turimella, YPC Director, and Akhil Jagadam, Strategic Vision Lead were also present at the event, volunteering to continue outreach about SACSS in New Jersey.
Looking ahead, SACSS plans to expand similar outreach efforts across other New Jersey counties with underserved populations, continuing its mission to bridge gaps in access and provide critical services to communities in need.