A Diwali of Warmth for New Arrivals

In partnership with La Casa Norte

Around the time of Diwali — the festival of lights celebrated across faiths by more than a billion people — our founders and friends turned the season’s spirit of giving into something tangible.

That autumn, Venezuelan families were arriving in Chicago with little or no preparation, just as the cold weather rolled in. Together we gathered warm food and non-perishable groceries, blankets, and warm clothing, and delivered them to La Casa Norte, a Chicago nonprofit that walks alongside people confronting homelessness and poverty.

Tarit Mitra, Subhra Debnath, Subhrajyoti Mukhopadhyay, Atanu Ghosh, and Saumen Chattopadhyay took part — and a few of our children joined us too, learning early what it means to give back.

On the auspicious occasion of Diwali, it was a privilege to share a little of that light with neighbors who had only just arrived.