Murthy Law Firm founder and president, Sheela Murthy, was delighted to be among the multitude of supporters who turned out to support ASHA for Women at its 24th Anniversary Gala Celebration, held September 14, 2013, at George Mason University, in Fairfax, Virginia. ASHA for Women is a Washington-based nonprofit that helps meet the special needs of domestic violence victims from South Asia: it provides culturally appropriate multi-lingual support services, ranging from attorney referrals to psychological counseling. For South Asian women living in abusive circumstances, ASHA for Women is a lifeline, especially when barriers of language and culture might otherwise prevent them from getting the help they need.

At the gala, Ms. Murthy had the pleasure of introducing Women Off the Map, a six-minute documentary made by her husband, Vasant Nayak, which he filmed in the village of Neemrana in the Alwar district of Rajasthan, India. The film vividly illustrates the women’s struggles to have their contributions – and their personal potential – recognized in a male-dominated, rural society.

Ms. Murthy also served as auctioneer for the fundraising portion of the evening, energizing the audience and spurring them on to increase their bids. Murthy spoke passionately about her own commitment to the cause, and why she hoped others would join her in this important work. And join her they did, opening their hearts – and checkbooks – and giving generously to ensure that ASHA’s services will continue to reach those who need it most.

The Murthy Law Firm and its charitable wing, the MurthyNAYAK Foundation, were platinum sponsors of this event, and proud to support the vital mission of ASHA for Women: giving hope and new life to survivors of domestic violence.

Copyright © 2013, MurthyNAYAK Foundation. All Rights Reserved.

It was like Christmas in July for three Baltimore-area nonprofits that recently received several gently used computers and printers to support their good works in the community:

• The Children’s Guild of Baltimore, a pioneer in meeting the special needs of children with autism and other mental health challenges. It provides a full range of educational and support services for children and adolescents with emotional, behavioral, and mental disorders. In 2012, The Children’s Guild honored Sheela Murthy for her outstanding humanitarian work and philanthropy.

• St. Luke’s Youth Center, whose after-school and “Safe Saturday” programs provide balanced meals, fellowship, computer access, and academic support to children in a West Baltimore neighborhood that’s been plagued by violence and drug trafficking. The MurthyNAYAK Foundation has also provided significant financial support to the St. Luke’s Summer Program.

• El Centro de Ayuda, an Annapolis-based nonprofit that helps Latino families to learn English, find work, and become more self-sufficient, in pursuit of the American dream. Its programs, services, and funding are dedicated to assisting lawful permanent residents, legal immigrants, and new U.S. citizens.

Until recently, the donated equipment was in use at the Murthy Law Firm. To stay on the cutting edge of technology, the Murthy Law Firm replaced its computers earlier this year, upgrading to an advanced touchscreen system. The “old” computers – actually of recent vintage – were readied for their new lives in service to the above organizations.

It’s one more way the Murthy Law Firm and the MurthyNAYAK Foundation are working together to “pay it forward.” As a firm that pioneered the use of digital technology to serve our clients better, we know technology matters, and we are proud to support these worthy organizations – and we’re delighted to contribute to their efforts to bridge the digital divide!

Copyright © 2013, MurthyNAYAK Foundation. All Rights Reserved.

The Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Maryland held its annual fundraising gala, the 2013 Memory Ball, at the Marriott Waterfront Hotel in Baltimore on April 13th. This year’s theme was “Dancing Stars,” featuring several prominent local personalities who performed a ballroom or Latin-style dance – à la ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” – each competing to raise the most “votes” for their evening. At one dollar per vote, the dancers raised more than $338,500 for the Alzheimer’s Association!

Mary Pat Seurkamp, president emerita of Notre Dame of Maryland University, was among the community leaders who generously volunteered to be “Dancing Stars” at the event. The MurthyNAYAK Foundation was delighted to be among Ms. Seurkamp’s sponsors, helping her to raise nearly $20,000 for our local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, which attacks the brain and leads to problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. Alzheimer’s not only affects the estimated 5.4 million people in the United States who have the disease, but some 15 million more Americans who are their caregivers. Although medication is available to palliate the symptoms, there still is no way to prevent, cure, or even slow the progression of Alzheimer’s.

The Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Maryland helps Alzheimer’s patients and their families to find appropriate diagnosis, treatment, and long-term care to deal with this devastating illness. We are proud to support this important work, and we congratulate our good friend, Mary Pat Seurkamp, for her grace on the dance floor and her success in helping a very good cause!

Copyright © 2013, MurthyNAYAK Foundation. All Rights Reserved.

Sheela Murthy’s friend and colleague, Kathy Snyder, will walk in the 2013 Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk in Cleveland, to raise money to fight breast cancer. Ms. Snyder is taking this walk to show support for her sister-in-law, Donna, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012. The MurthyNAYAK Foundation is pleased to support Ms. Snyder’s worthwhile efforts.

In her day job, Kathy Snyder is president and CEO of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, the state’s foremost business advocacy organization. As a longtime Chamber member and the current Vice Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, Sheela Murthy could not be happier to help.

Funds raised by the Komen Foundation support a global breast cancer research program that has already invested more than $2.2 billion in the search for a cure. There’s no disputing the need for more research, and more funding to fuel it: nearly 300,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2013 alone. The 3-day breast cancer walks also bring in a significant share of the funds needed to provide community support services for breast cancer patients and their families, helping to meet the financial, social, and medical needs of our neighbors.

Ms. Snyder has already raised more than $5,000 in sponsorships for her 3-day walk, which takes place August 1-3 in Cleveland, Ohio. We hope you will share this article with others, and consider making a donation on Kathy’s sponsorship page. Go, Kathy, go!

Copyright © 2013, MurthyNAYAK Foundation. All Rights Reserved.

In an inner-city Baltimore neighborhood marked by violence and drug trafficking – mere blocks from the open-air narcotics market immortalized in the HBO series “The Corner” – the St. Luke’s Youth Center is a visible symbol of hope. Through after-school and “Safe Saturday” programs, it provides balanced meals, fellowship, computer access and academic support to neighborhood youth: an oasis of safety in a dangerous, crime-ridden area. St. Luke’s Summer Camp serves up to 100 young people, using crafts, cooking, games, movies, and field trips to enrich the lives of children who otherwise would have nowhere to go but the streets during summer vacation. These children are our future, and they deserve our help!

Achieving economic self-sufficiency is the key to personal autonomy, but for unemployed women seeking a new job and a fresh start, the barriers are high. Finding a good job requires an interview suit; starting one requires a business wardrobe to get through the workweek. The problem? Unemployment – even underemployment – leaves women cash-strapped, unable to afford the clothes they need to rejoin the workforce. Baltimore’s Suited to Succeed (STS) can help, providing free interview suits to women seeking work, and three to five additional outfits once the client secures a position. STS also provides career-related workshops, empowering women to succeed in the workplace – a goal that dovetails with the values of the MurthyNAYAK Foundation.

Further information is available at www.suitedtosucceed.org.

Despite India’s recent economic growth, poverty and its attendant maladies remain widespread there. The need for private development funding remains urgent, particularly now that many foreign governments are reassessing their international aid priorities. Yet many donors are hesitant to make social investments in India without robust and transparent mechanisms to ensure that their money will be used as intended. Enter the Global India Fund, which is creating the infrastructure to channel philanthropic investments to nonprofits with a proven track record of organizational effectiveness, transparency, and accountability. It carefully screens Indian nonprofits so that donors can invest in their work with confidence – secure in the knowledge that their contributions will do the full measure of good.

Read more about their work at www.globalindiafund.org.

FIRN — this Howard County nonprofit empowers immigrants, refugees, asylees, and other foreign-born individuals, offering a comprehensive array of services to newcomers from more than 75 countries: services such as immigration counseling, English language classes, interpreting, and referrals to health and human services agencies that assist immigrant clients. FIRN, which stands for Foreign-Born Information and Referral Network, was founded in the early eighties by Pat Hatch, a social entrepreneur who recognized the need for a place where immigrants could ask questions in a supportive environment. FIRN’s mission closely parallels that of the MurthyNAYAK Foundation: to welcome immigrants, and help them to become stakeholders in the common life of our society – to help them achieve their American dream!

Further information is on the web at www.firnonline.org.

On April 29, 2013, Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland held its 22nd Annual Culinary Extravaganza fundraiser, celebrating the joys of good food and good company — just what Meals on Wheels brings to over 3,000 homebound, frail, and elderly people in the Baltimore-Washington area every day, five days a week, rain or shine.

Over 425 people attended this year’s circus-themed event, Cirque de la Cuisine. They were greeted at the door by stilt walkers, fire jugglers and a candid photo booth with circus props, and treated to spectacular hors d’oeuvres and desserts from a Who’s Who of Baltimore’s greatest chefs.

The event raised more than $150,000, thanks to generous donors like Vasant Nayak, who contributed not one but two of his photographs, beautifully framed, for the event’s silent auction. Mr. Nayak is a photographer and digital artist who has exhibited his work in the United States and internationally, in individual and group shows. He has travelled the world to capture photographs of matchless beauty, suffused with an artistry that is at once cosmopolitan, spiritual, and deeply humanitarian.

The MurthyNAYAK Foundation is delighted to support the work of Meals on Wheels, especially at a time when federal funding is on the wane, due to sequestration. We support this cause because we know every life matters!

Further information on Meals on Wheels is on the web at www.mealsonwheelsmd.org.