Dear Friends & Family,

I run for dreams, for family, for love and for hope. Running has been a crux of my life since I was born to a father who ran his whole life. First he ran through the rice paddies of Bhattakul village in rural West Bengal, then through the city of Calcutta, all around the hilly streets of San Francisco after receiving a student visa to study, around Lake Michigan in Chicago and Central Park in NYC. Finally through the suburban streets of Glen Ridge, NJ where many a day our neighbors would see him pushing me to become more, to compete with the boys and to beat my own dreams.

All his life he ran and dreamt of seeing the world until he succumbed to a spinal injury ten years ago which has been recently resolved through surgery but has left him without the ability to run again. Now, he walks daily with my mom getting ready for their first vacation outside of the USA and their infrequent trips to India.

Dreams change, they expand and contract, they morph into dreams we never imagined possible. But they are what we wake up and fight for. They are the hope that everyone deserves to strive for. I encourage you to donate to this fund to lend a hand in helping others gain the courage to dream big and reach for the stars. You never know where life will take you once you try. Thank you!

More info on Lend a Hand:
Please help support vocational training and career counseling for hundreds of deserving kids in poor communities of India. This education will generate employment opportunities for them and their families.

$400 will pay for an instructor for a full year. Even a contribution of as little as $10 will pay tuition for 2 kids for a month.

This is all through Lend-A-Hand India, a non-profit focused on self-help programs for the poor. Their overhead is relatively low, with over 85% going to directly help the kids.

I am training to run the Marathon this year, with a goal of raising $100 for each of the 26 miles I plan to run. Your help in fulfilling this goal is greatly appreciated.

Contributions are tax-exempt. EIN for Lend-A-Hand India is 90-0150814. Also, please check if your employer will match as every dollar counts.

Thank you and keep dreaming!