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Monday, June 27, 2011

An Update from Mover and Shaker Meera Gandhi's The Giving Back Foundation

The Giving Back Foundation was established in January of 2010 by Meera
Gandhi, with the support of her husband Vikram. In June of 2010, the Giving
Back Foundation was recognized as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt entity, and has since
gone forth vigorously to implement its programs. Its main goal is directed
towards empowering women and children. St. Michael's girls' school in New
Delhi was chosen to be the first recipient of a 5-year food grant from the
Giving Back Foundation. All of the children will receive meals for 5 years in a row.

In addition, the 2nd floor tiling at the school has
been donated by the Foundation, and now a new school playground is in
progress! Ground was broken on the playground project at St. Michael’s with the Bishop of Northern India presiding. Inspired by a visit to her son’s boarding school in England and her own good fortune, Meera Gandhi set out to provide the children of St. Michael’s with an equivalent playground! The Foundation is reaching out to and supporting numerous
entities. Many of these will be highlighted in Meera Gandhi's upcoming
coffee table book, entitled Giving Back. Twelve others were highlighted in
the documentary film that has been screened in 10 countries, from London, to
Hong Kong, Mumbai, New York City, Wales, Washington DC, Hyde Park and
Brooklyn, New York.

Other current projects include a 5-year Giving Back Foundation grant to the
Woodstock Film Festival in Woodstock, New York, to encourage socially
uplifting films. The Giving Back Award will honor an actor, producer or
director who has initiated social change. The Eleanor Roosevelt Girls
Leadership award is our third 5-year commitment. Five girls who exhibit
leadership in their daily lives will each receive a stipend from the Giving
Back Foundation. This way we will touch the lives of 25 young people in five years!

The Giving Back Inspirational Lecture Series has begun, with youngsters at
The United Nations and at schools such as Birch Wathen Lenox. This is an
equally important aspect of our new Foundation.

Cataract surgeries, social film projects and educational grants are all
ongoing needs that the Giving Back Foundation has funded in less than one year! So far, over
$200,000 has been awarded globally to deserving causes. “Our uniqueness is
that we become personally involved in each and every cause that we support!
We live in a symbiotic world. It's about giving and not just receiving. The
Giving Back Foundation seeks to be a reminder of this every single day,” said Meera Gandhi.”
After all, our motto is, "We are to the universe only as much as we give
back to it."

“I never dreamed that we would make such progress in a year,”

said Meera Gandhi. “I am honored by such amazing support for the Giving Back Foundation.”

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