California state assembly member Kansen Chu recognized Global Organized Community Service as Community Hero 2018 for its selfless services to the community. The award was received by founder Ajay Bhutoria, Raj Bhutoria, and joined by Young Leaders forum associate director Ishika Gill, and members and volunteers of the organization.

Ajay and Vinita Bhutoria founded Global Organization Community Services with objective of helping the people in need in local communities.

Six years back, Ajay saw homeless people on streets in San Jose downtown and thought what could he do to help and make their lives better. With this thought Ajay came back the following Sunday with home cooked meals. There were around 30 people, Ajay distributed them lunch and promised to come back the next Sunday. Since than, six years have passed and Ajay ,Vinita have been coming every Sunday and many Saturdays, rain or shine to serve hot meals to 300+ people.

People wait in line, not just for food, but also to talk to Ajay and his team. Ajay makes sure these people are treated with respect, giving them a sense of belonging to the Silicon Valley community.

A dedicated volunteer team picks up hot lunch early morning for 300+ people in need. The meal is cooked by certified cooks. The meal menu varies every week , it includes rice, lentils, vegetables curry, bread , Pizza, fruits, water and juices.

We have served over 72,500 meals in the last six years, says Ajay.

Our volunteers serve the meal, talk to them and share jokes, and to the abled ones, guide them on how to find jobs and get back on their feet. Provide them with daily necessities items – toothpaste, slippers, shaving cream, women items, medicines, umbrellas, raincoats etc., says Ajay.

The volunteers leave around noon, with boundless joy in their hearts and leaving 300+ people happy with a promise to come back.

Global Organization for Community Services is a compassion-based organization providing shelter, remedial services, work opportunities, and meals for those in need. For several years this organization has grown from a few dedicated and passionate individuals to dozens of volunteers weekly to serve the homeless and disabled community and give back through community service.

We also provide opportunities for kids, youth, adults with opportunities to serve on various community service projects:

  • Weekly serving meals, clothing to homeless people in multiple areas: San Jose St James Park, Oakland & Hayward, Calif.
  • Providing compassionate meetings and company to kids and adults suffering from cancer in Stanford Hospital.
  • Financial, emotional assistance to domestic violence victims.
  • Teaching leadership, communication, emotional intelligence and coding classes to kids and youth.
  • Skills development and job-oriented resume preparation trainings.
  • Partnership with Mayor of Oakland to support Oakland Promise Program, Free Community Colleges, and much more.
  • GOCS volunteers raised large of amount of donations, from water, to clothes, to food trucks, and spent days helping NAPA fire victims.

The Young Leaders Forum is a platform created for providing opportunities for Kids & Youth of our community to get involved with community service to bring a positive impactful change in their local communities.

Youth become the Change Agents. They identify their projects to serve the society to create a better tomorrow and a better world. All projects are lead by Raj Bhutoria (16), Ana Matoo (16) & Ishika Gill (15) – three young youths who keeps themselves active in volunteerism while juggling school and work commitments, making environmental education part of the school syllabus, and creating better opportunities for disadvantaged students. They are passionate about finding new and innovative ways to better the lives of people in their community.

Some of the projects the Young Leaders Forum are driving, are:

  • Civic Engagement with Political Leaders – Congressman, Mayors, City council members on issues important to Youth
  • Workshops on stress management, managing bullying  in schools
  • Workshop on emotional intelligence, leadership, entrepreneurship
  • Serving the homeless
  • Digital basics of computer skill training to seniors, adults
  • Compassion listening and talking to cancer patients at Stanford Children Hospital

 

Ajay Bhutoria also received Life Time Presidential Gold Medal award for community Services by President Barack Obama.

Ajay and Vinita say it is important to serve in local communities. There is a lot more to be done to help people in need. Everyone can pick one project to improve and make a change in and around their local communities. Interested readers can learn more about GOCS at www.globalocs.org.