Indian festival to benefit
orphans, street children
FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP — "A Touch of India" festival on June 23 will feature an Indian fashion show, dancers, music, home-cooked food, a yoga demonstration and a cricket match.
Scheduled from 1-4 p.m. at the Free-hold VFW, 4374 Waterworks Road, "A Touch of India" will benefit the Empower the Children foundation. Founded by Rosalie Giffoniello of Neptune City and Janet Grosshandler-Smith of Jackson, Empower the Children brings new life to abandoned, multi-handicapped and street children of Calcutta, India.
For the past three years, Giffoniello, a retired speech therapist, has worked as a volunteer at Mother Teresa’s orphanages in Calcutta.
"When I first visited in 1999, I found handicapped children lying on the floor, without even a sleeping mat," Giffoniello said. "While they were clean and fed, there were no programs to help them either physically or mentally."
From her teaching experience, Giffoniello knew that without education or mind-stimulating programs, these children would spend the rest of their lives on the floor. With the help of Americans, and Indians, both here and in India, these children now have in-house classes, full-time physical therapy, wheelchairs, feeder seats, crib mobiles and much more, according to a press release.
"They now laugh, smile and enjoy a feeling of empowerment that they never knew before," she said.
One youngster, a 10-year-old blind boy, Madhu, quickly worked his way into Gif-foniello’s heart. She found Madhu lying on his back, shaking his hands and feet in the air. He could not even feed himself.
With classes to provide mental stimulation, Madhu now attends a school for the blind and plays the guitar. He has been able to socialize and play with other children for the first time in his life.
Today Giffoniello spends about eight months a year in India, providing hands-on help for the youngsters.
Grosshandler-Smith, a Jackson Memor-ial High School guidance counselor, handles Empower the Children affairs here.
"Many of the children are now able to dress and feed themselves for the first time," Grosshandler-Smith said. "In spite of handicaps, children are able to learn and grow mentally. Our work has shown that life for these children is not hopeless."
Through the work of Empower the Children, two swimming pools have been built for aqua therapy. In the works is a new orphanage, which has been designed at no cost by an Empower the Children-sponsoring architect who lives in London. The new facility will house 20 boys, a second "street children" program and a free medical clinic for the local poor.
All of the money raised by the festival will be used for new programs, equipment and facilities for the children.
Donations are $25 for adults and $15 for seniors over age 60 and those under age 20. Admission is free for children under 5. All donations are tax deductible. For more information call Rosalie Giffoniello, (732) 681-1217, or Janet Grosshandler-Smith, (732) 901-6733.