Volunteer Appreciation Awards

New Action Center of the Year

[CRY America Houston Action Center]

Award Name: New Action Center of the Year

Criteria:

• Revenue generation
• Volunteer mobilization
• Events
• Media coverage

Measurement Metrics:

• Revenue generation of >=$5000
• Core team of >=5 active volunteers (Names)
• 3 successful events in the 1st year
• At least 1 media article & Journalist relationship
  Note: This award is applicable to ACs in operation for 1-2 years

Your Story:

Houston Action Center Start Date: November 2007

Key Highlights:

1. Revenue generated Since Nov 2007 (1st Year): $15,600

2.# Volunteers on Distribution List in Houston: Over 900

3. Team: Akshay Lalla, Praveena Lakshmanan, Dharam Bali, Manan Vyas, Ankur Dyal, Mala Sinha, Amrit Grewal, Sonia Joshi, Naisargi Atre, Anar Vyas, Sucheta Malik, Shreyasee Das, Ashvin Sagar, Gauri Patankar, Raghu Havaldar, Sandip Raj Melkaveri, Sajeev Sugunan, Ash Malhotra, Dilip Amin, Mayank A, Neha Bichu, Ash Shah, Bijoy Mathew, Maria Studden, Darshan, Nisha Jain, Sonal Shukla

4. 7 core team members retained since the beginning (2007): Akshay Lalla, Praveena Lakshmanan, Dharam Bali, Manan Vyas, Shreyasee Das, Sonia Joshi, Mala Sinha.

5. List of Events:

• Indian Ocean Concert (Fusion Music Concert) – Aug 2008, (700 attendees)
• You, Me Aur CRY (Social evening): - April 2008, 30 attendees
• CRY Events at University of Houston:
• Valentine’s Day Sale – Feb 2008, 25 attendees
• ISA Nasha (Presentation and Booth) - March 2008, 400 attendees
• Austin Half Marathon – Feb 2009, 30000 attendees
• High School Chapter Community Service activities with  BEAR, Christmas Haiti through National Honor Society, and Boys and Girls Harbo

6. Media coverage:

• 11 Press Releases in 4 local newspapers/journals
• Awareness about CRY America and its mission on 5 different radio channels: HumTumCity, Meena Dutt, Masala Radio, KGOL Rice University, and Border Crossings.
• Exclusive coverage on TV Asia by a prominent journalist Ms. Ruchi Roy: http://www.rmrmedia.com/blog/2008/09/indian-ocean-enthralls-houston.
• Houston AC co-lead is a journalist and editor at a leading local India newspaper: Indo-America News

Introduction

For a new action center, the task of establishing a team and to put it on the city’s map is challenging, particularly when numerous other Indian Non-profit organizations, such as Pratham and Ekal Vidyalaya exist and have long been established and recognized within your city. These have already involved the who’s who of the Indian entrepreneurial world within their organizations.

Achieving milestones through the Young:

In light of these, the CRY America Houston Action Center reached out to the young individuals, who were in high schools, in universities and those who were in their early years of their careers. All these young and energetic members of the CRY Houston Action center believed in peoples' movements and that change is possible, because they can make it so.

Working with the High School Chapter

In an effort to get the young to realize, learn, and embrace what CRY America stands for, the Houston Action established the first ever CRY America high school chapter at Clear Brook High School in Friendswood, Texas that is starting to make a big name for itself. Comprising of 75 active volunteers, and 9 core volunteer officers, this group represents the true face of CRY America – a team of volunteers of all races, cultures and ethnic backgrounds and in which the teacher sponsor is an American lady.

Having been in existence for almost 8 months now, this Clear Brook CRY America chapter is the only know chapter amongst the new action centers that have reached out to a local child care organization. The members have participated in three service activities so far: BEAR, Christmas Haiti through National Honor Society, and Boys and Girls Harbor (a non-profit group that provides shelter to foster kids) - www.boysandgirlsharbor.org. The high school chapter has partnered with these local children organizations and has carried out monthly service projects in which they went around the community and collected basic hygiene related products for the underprivileged children or packed/wrapped toys for them. Through these projects, the children of the club have been able to give back to the children of the community and to those of the world.
It is interesting to elaborate the work done along with the national honor society for underprivileged children of ‘Republic of Haiti’, a Caribbean country in which many children are living in extremely poor hygienic conditions. Members of the club packed gallon-sized plastic bags with goodies and hygiene products and sent them to orphans in Haiti through Kanakuk Ministries’ Christmas in Haiti Project. CRY America at Clear Brook collectively contributed 23 bags, including two backpacks, to the shipment to distribution centers in Haiti.

Apart from participating in community service events, these High School Chapter students have been involved in advocacy activities of children’s rights, which include the Clear Brook High School Club Exposition and The Clear Brook High School Homecoming Carnival. Through both of these events, students, teachers, and parents have had the opportunity to learn about our organization and have been given the opportunity to participate in club-sponsored events.

This club, having received an official status within the schools, is constantly represented on the school newsletters that go out to all parents and has also found itself a spot on the school’s official PowerPoint presentation,

Finally, this high school chapter helped raised $250 from their carnival event last year (2008) through selling of backed products and CRY T-Shirts.

Working with Universities

The CRY Houston Action Center also works closely with its University of Houston subchapter that was established in December 2007 and today has over 250 members on its volunteer distribution list. The CRY university student president and the vice-president represent the university chapter at the CRY Houston Action Center core group monthly meetings and immensely supported the decision making of the Houston Action Center. An excellent example of their support is the organization of the highly applauded Indian Ocean fusion music concert, which drew a crowd of over 700 people from different age groups and cultures. The students jointly participated in planning, publicity, ticket sales, logistics, and implementation of this successful concert that gave CRY America a solid footprint in Houston.

CRY Houston Action Center also worked towards establishing relationship with the College Station University action center, a long standing CRY student chapter that is one and a half hour drive from Houston. Members from both chapters have represented at each other’s presentations and events to further cooperation and unity among individual action centers.

Media Coverage:

CRY Houston Action Center has developed strong relationship with the local media organizations, such as newspapers, TV channels and radio channels. In fact, one of our core volunteers is a journalist and editor at a leading local India newspaper.

We have put out 11 press releases thus far, since the action center was formed in November, 2007. The three newspapers where these press releases have been published are: Voice of Asia, India Heralds, and Indo-America News (http://www.indoamerican-news.com/Stories/080108/IndianOcean.html). Houston has an Indian community of approximately 300,000 people and these three newspapers are the most read. Furthermore, these press releases have been out at different times of the year: In early 2008, mid 2008, and early 2009, during the Indian Ocean concert, and when one of our core volunteer ran the Austin Half Marathon and finally when Houston Islamic Source released an article by CRY titled "Amplify the Voice of Children".

Through the Indian Ocean concert we created awareness about CRY America and its mission on 5 different radio channels: HumTumCity, Meena Dutt, Masala Radio, KGOL Rice University, and Border Crossings.

Finally, CRY America Houston Action Center was covered on TV Asia by their very renowned journalist, Ruchi Roy: http://www.rmrmedia.com/blog/2008/09/indian-ocean-enthralls-houston.

Corporate Mobilization:

• CRY Houston Action Center was a beneficiary of Coca-Cola Enterprise (CCE) and received 20 crates of drinks to distribute at our events
• Established an ongoing relationship with the local management for future events, like the walk.
• CRY Houston Action center secured a 100% sponsorship (worth $17,800) for its Indian Ocean concert from Shangri-la Art Gallery.
• Advertisement sponsorships from 24 local businesses.
• Additional companies with whom sponsorships are in discussion: Tara Energy
• 4 Qualified Leads for Corporate Grants (provided to Kreanne): Construction Zone, Frees Foundation, Conoco Phillips (ConocoPhillips annual donation grant), and Fun Asia.
• Ground work laid with local artists for future events.
• Additional Corporate Donations: $1,500 through one of our core member’s own company for Walk 2009.

Additional Presentation Talks and booth:

Several booths and presentations have been made at different events and gatherings:

• Durga Bari Society, 
• Hare Krishna Dham Temple,
• FunAsia Movie Theater
• Popular restaurants – Mauyri, Masala Wok, Yatra,
• Amitabh Bachan Concert,
• India Fest (India’s independence day – Attended by 4000 people),
• University Of Texas School Of Public Health

CRY Houston Action Center has over 900 members to its distribution list, increasing CRY America’s existing distribution list of 375 in the entire state of Texas to 1375 members.

The CRY Houston Action Center has developed Associations with 35 local Indian non-profit, professional, social, student and cultural organizations, including TIE, Net IP, Vibha, AID, Asha and Pratham, IIT Alumni Association, India Culture Center, etc.

Details of Revenue Raised (app.) =  $12,000 (Indian Ocean Concert) + $600 (University and High School sub chapter events) + $1,500 (Donations)  + $1,500 (Austin Half Marathon) + $2,000 in pledge.

A Profitable Year!!