Here’s what Baal Dan has accomplished in 5 years…

Feeding Programs
Impossible to estimate the quantity of rice, dahl, milk, peanut butter, food supplies and feeding programs Baal Dan has provided in 5 years…
We feed at least 1,000 kids every day.

Supplies
Provided supplies to 3,000 children in the last 5 years.
Underwear, clothes, shoes, toiletries, blankets, toys, books, school supplies, uniforms…

Education
Sponsor the private education of 45 impoverished children.
Built a school for 150 kids.
Built classrooms and provided hundreds of school desks, chairs, book shelves and supplies.

Baal Dan Kids Days
Harry Potter movie, Calcutta Zoo, Shanti Niketan Amusement/Water Park, Cricket Days, Bollywood Dancing, Yoga, Art & Craft Days, Golkonda Fort excursion, Barbie Movie & Ice Cream Day, Diwali Fireworks Celebration and numerous celebrations and Kids Days…

Medical Camps
Conducted 3 medical camps, immunized over 200 children, provided free medicines to 300 children and women, and recruited 3 volunteer doctors, 6 nurses and numerous volunteers to assist with medical camps.

Volunteers
Chapters established in: Dallas, Austin, New York, Chicago and Dubai
College chapters at: UT Austin, UT Dallas and SMU
Interns from The Richards Group

Books for Baal Dan:
Elementary students in Texas make ABC books for Baal Dan orphans

Pennies for Baal Dan:
The Richards Group, numerous individuals and Indian stores in Dallas collect their pennies for Baal Dan

Beads for Baal Dan:
Kids from KIPP Truth Academy, Northlake YMCA, North Richland Hills schools, TEDxSMU and other groups make mala bracelets which are sold at Pranaa Spa and other local businesses

And… on a final note, Baal Dan has achieved these things with no paid staff, minimal administrative costs and a lot of love, passion and commitment from the best team in the world!

Baal Dan Kids

At a medical camp in Feb in Hyderabad with a little street baby. It is where it all started for me.

Baal Dan Volunteers

The school that Baal Dan built for Project Mala

It has been quite a journey, and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Thank you so much to my family, my Board members, Advisory Board, Chapters, Volunteers and so many people who love Baal Dan and have given so much to this little charity. You are all angels. Thank you!

I thought I would take a moment to share the five big lessons I have learned since starting Baal Dan five years ago.

Stay simple.
Simple solutions, simple processes, simple messages.
Staying simple has been the reason that has allowed Baal Dan to grow and keep growing. I try to make things as simple as possible in all aspects of Baal Dan. It brings peace and clarity to me personally on many levels.

It is all about the children.
If the focus strays too far from the kids, it is not Baal Dan. The decisions I make have to relate to what is best for the kids. When I look at an orphanage, I think, “If I were an orphan, would I live here?” It is that simple center from which I make many decisions.

Stay true.
Over the years, many people have offered advice, consulting, ideas and wisdom. Some things have been valid, others not so much… I have learned to listen carefully for wisdom and insight, but also stay true to my own path and instinct, because I know that is what I have to ultimately rely on anyway to keep doing this work in the world, as I am the one who has ultimate responsibility for Baal Dan.

Just do it.
Mother Teresa said: “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” Yes, it would be great to have started off raising millions, but if I had waited for that, then I never would have started at all. Take action, do it swiftly, but just do it.

Say Thank You.
I am conscious of the fact that Baal Dan would not really be anything without the support of so many people around the world. From the humble drivers that take me to places in the middle of nowhere in India in search of the latest project, to the co-workers who save their pennies for me everyday, to the hundreds of people to trust in Baal Dan and give so generously, I will never be able to thank you enough. I hope that for whatever you all have given to me it is returned a thousand times over. Remaining in a state of gratitude is key.