MAFS Annual Gala 2023
Metropolitan Asian Family Services, Inc (MAFS) launches yet another star-studded Yearly Global Gala Fundraiser to celebrate the 3 decades of community services, with illustrious elected officials from around the world, including U S Congressman, Streamwood Village Board of commissioner, renowned international professionals, entrepreneurs from the US and around the world!!!
Over 500 community members, including many elderly seniors, attended the MAFS’s annual Gala on October 15, 2023, at the International University of Vedic Wellness. The celebration began with the Lighting of the auspicious Deep by prominent leaders of the community, Mr. Sunil Shah, FIA Founder and Chairman, Dr. Santosh Kumar, the Executive Director, MAFS, Dr. Firdaus Jafri, the President, MAFS, the Board members, MAFS, and community leaders, Mr. Neil Khot, and Ajeet Singh.
Just a few minutes before the start of the celebration, with a smile on his face, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi arrived early at the Gala doors. In his interaction with the MAFS staff members, he was thankful to MAFS for its multiple services for elderly seniors. Adding to the importance of senior services, the Congressman stated that these services not only can help the elderly to be happy and cheerful, but also can relieve their working children of any anxiety or stress because they know that their parents are being taken care of with trusted MAFS In-homecare, adult daycare, and Public Assistance Services. This was certainly a huge honor for MAFS!
Following the Deep Lightning, and Ganesh Vandana Dr. Bharat Barai, a highly accredited Oncologist, a professor, and the Director of a Cancer Institute, at Methodist Hospitals came up to the stage and praised Dr. Santosh Kumar for her outstanding work for the community. He encouraged the audience to donate to the good cause and dedication of MAFS.
MAFS Grants Director Mrs. Roshita Pandey welcomed the dignitaries as she glorified and explained the vital programs of MAFS. Empowering the audience, she passionately highlighted the five core areas where our Ethnic community needs help, namely Nutrition, Health, Public Benefits, Literacy, and Immigration. Continuing with her speech, Mrs. Pandey stressed the fact that MAFS is a Not-For-Profit organization with limited funding. She amplified the fact that the senior programs are much needed by the elderly population and depend on gracious donors to cover the expenses that the grant funds do not cover. She thanked everyone in the audience who donated to this good cause.
Later, Dr. Santosh Kumar took center stage and she put some light on how MAFS was created and evolved for senior care services with the motto in mind for seniors, with a place where they can enjoy fresh food, culture, and have friends of similar age groups who can speak the same language as they do. With this pious thought, she took upon the mission of serving seniors starting with one site of two rooms and now 14 well-equipped sites for the elderly. Dr. Kumar shared her experience working for seniors for the past three decades, providing them with all possible education, knowledge, and a positive attitude toward life. She feels that God has destined her to do this work, and she is appreciative, happy, and proud to be a soldier of God this way.
She thanked all her staff members, managers, and cooks who are working in front and behind the scenes to support MAFS and its elderly population. Clearing misunderstanding about raising the much-needed funds for Senior care services, she explained to all present in the audience that 100% of funding from any county or state is not provided to not-for-profit organizations and that only 35% to 65% is covered by them.
The community awards were to three Prominent members of our community, presented by Dr. Santosh Kumar and Dr. Firdaus Jafri. Dr. Umang Patel was awarded the Mr. Pramod Kumar Philanthropy Award. Next, the Partnership Award was presented to Mr. Krishna Bansal, the CEO of Q1 Technologies. Lastly, the Community Service Award was given to Mr. Suresh Bodiwala, Chairman of Asian Media USA. They were humbled by this honor, particularly coming from Mrs. Kumar who has given a great deal to the community.
The highlight of the evening was the breathtaking, mesmerizing Musical Performance by the Legendary Bollywood Playback Singer Kavita Krishnamurti Subramaniam. With her hypnotic voice, she enthralled and dazzled the audience with her record-breaking Bollywood numbers. Known for her enchanting voice and versatile singing style, her performance at the MAFS Annual Fundraiser was a musical extravaganza like no other.
Charming Sameer Saini and Shweta Vasudeva, the emcees, with great enthusiasm aimed to make this exciting event unforgettable until the very end. The event was concluded with a vote of thanks and appreciation to all by Dr. Santosh Kumar.
