2020 Wall of Kindness
The Year that Was
#Totally Tanya
#SpreadTheKindness
C- Caring
O - Overtures K - Kindred
V- Valuing I - Inspirers
I - Interdependence in our World with N - iN
D - Determination D - Deed
Editor's Note: 2020 has brought challenges and unique inspiration from so very many kind angels. Some are reluctant to step into the limelight. I am very grateful to all of them for allowing us to be inspired by their efforts. They are showing us how living outside our own constraints and setbacks makes us and the world we inhabit so much more joyous.
Kindness Knows No Religious or National Boundaries
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Subbayamma Chitrapu
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Subbayamma Chitrapu came from India to visit her sister in the US and got stranded due to Covid. Having spent a lifetime dedicated to the causes of the poor and disadvantaged groups, she set herself to "reaching out a hand to obstruct Covid and apply brakes to it" in her words. She has been sewing washable/reusable fabric masks and handing them to health workers, caregivers and churches even though she is not a Christian. I can attest to many grateful doctors and healthcare workers who in the early days of Covid saved themselves and their co-workers using Subbayamma's masks.
Food, Shelter, Clothing.....
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Mallika & Manjari Mitra
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The twins have dedicated themselves to a life of giving. Since the pandemic they have been providing home cooked lunch to 5 people. They are also donating money to feed migrants workers arranged by GIVE INDIA NETWORK. This is over and above the rickshaw-puller's children they have housed, fed and educated over the years.
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Bijoy Bose |
The security guards of Bijoy's gated community get a paltry salary for a grueling duty. He found Nikhil did not have a jacket for this winter and so gave him one of his own to keep him warm. Gave him an old flask too to keep his tea warm. "Hope he will feel more comfortable now..."
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Barbara Kittle
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Barbara's kind deed is to make chili for the residents of "The Center" - an HIV+Aids home in Asbury Park, New Jersey
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Bernadette Hunsicker
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Bernadette dropped off a large shopping bag of food the our church pantry on Thursday morning |
Anita Ganguli
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Anita's act of daily kindness is simple and touching - she makes and provides tea and bread for her cleaning help every single morning.
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Neera Bedi
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Neera works in Hospitality - an industry hit hard by Covid. She collected clothes for a server of hers who has 3 kids and gave them to her so her kids are warm in the winter
Bringing Comfort......
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Judy Steinberg with Tanya Mitra
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Alice Gatti & Alisa Alt
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This mother and daughter duo donated Halloween treats to a rehab center/halfway house for women recovering from addiction. What a sweet way to make these women recover faster knowing someone cares.
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Moira McLaughlin
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Moira is giving a neighbour a chance at friendship. A youngish man with significant mental issues, he has alienated many and was lonely. Moira was able to reach out to form a gentle, caring friendship. They talk about his mental health issues as if it were diabetes or pain. Says Moira "It's a small thing but kindness is for me a way to live our lives"
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Bernadette Hunsicker
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"Yesterday I wrote some encouraging words and offered support to someone who is really sick. I would be there in person but can't with this stupid Covid"
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Ishani Sandesara (R) with Tanya
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Ishani completed her training in palliative/hospice care for both adults and children. A class-mate of Tanya in medicine, her choice of profession speaks volumes for her desire to endow kindness. "I generally like to lead my day-to-day life in a way that would make Tanya proud. Rather than any big grand gestures, I try to be kind in many little ways throughout my day. Part of that is my job: it is really rewarding to bring people some comfort and solace when they are suffering, particularly at the end of life.
Enabling & Empowering......
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Lee Innocenti
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Our director of security after 13 years was let go die to the virus. With two children, Lee knew he could not support his wife and two children on $200/week. Before he could even process his unemployed status, I found him another position through a friend of mine. Today I spent two hours with a young friend sharing insight into marriage and friendship as he searches for personal growth while he struggles with a challenging marriage.
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Neera Bedi
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Neera Bedi is a guardian angel to many servers in the hospitality business. She is advocating and working closely with them to navigate bureaucracy to ensure that they can collect unemployment. Calling, emailing and doing all the hard work on their behalf to so they can get their due.
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Shayoni Mehta
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This year Shayoni raised funds to provide 700 sanitary napkins to young girls in slums. Thank you to the students who keep supporting her educational efforts and to the foundation that employs marginalized women to package sanitary napkins.
Educating ....
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Kamini Ganguli
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Kamini Ganguli has dedicated much of her young life to the upliftment of slum children. Now she spends time, even during Covid to train the teachers of slums kids' schools to prepare them to be better teachers.
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Shayoni Mehta
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Shayoni Mehta has been providing sociological education to poor and migrant workers' children. She leads and coordinates workshops on menstrual hygiene and awareness in schools.
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Kylee Kus
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Kylee Kus an aspiring doctor with lofty ideals and also a Tanya Mitra Scholar. She registered to volunteer for an organization that connects medical students to
elementary/middle/high school students for tutoring over Zoom while they are taking remote classes. She recently finished the training and should be able to start tutoring students in the near future!
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Anonymous
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Anonymous has been honoring school teachers in various ways as they demonstrate commitment and fortitude in exposing themselves and their families to infection for the noble cause of educating the young
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Sonali Ghose
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Sonali's household help has two granddaughters who cannot attend remote/online classes due to lack of connectivity. Sonali bought Samsung smartphones for them. Although they insist on paying her back in installments, she is totally okay to not receive any money back.
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Shayoni Mehta
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Mother Earth, Nature, Social Justice....
Shayoni has been giving back to Mother Earth too by sponsoring and leading awareness on the impact of environment security on democracy.
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Ishani Sandesara
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Ishani is investing in advocacy and looking to give back more of her time. She has been volunteering for an organization that seeks to protect the voting rights of black and Latinx people of Midwest USA
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Kate Reitman
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Kate Reitman's kind deed was for Mother Nature - she joined neighbors in cleaning up all the trash in the neighborhood.
Angels Performing Random Acts of Kindness....
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Lalita Sanyal
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Lalita Sanyal visited a person who has suffered a stroke and also a family with an autistic member.
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Anju Kohli
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Anju Kohli believes in random acts of kindness. Long ago she stopped judging what panhandlers do with money given to them and recently doled some out. She picks up grocery for others too.
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Pam Urban
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Pam Urban have a grocery gift card to her favorite cashier at Shop Rite while checking out her own groceries. The cashier is a sweet lady named Trina who works hard with a positive attitude. She always tells everyone to "fight the good fight" every time. She was so surprised, happy and in tears to get the gift card.
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Anonymous Couple
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The Anonymous Couple look out for older neighbors and donate to Tanya's adopted cause - Doctors Without Borders
And Just Because.......
Barbara Kelly Kittle donated money, mask and hand sanitizer to a homeless man
Amit Mitra put flowers on an unmarked grave where there once were stuffed toys and a handwritten boy's name
Anju Kohli added money into a neighboring car's parking meter while [aying for her own as that one seemed to be running out
What a wonderful tribute to Tanya. How she would enjoy reading all these kind deeds in her honor. I’m proud to be a part of this tribute.
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