A Shining Light: Volunteering in Communities From the U.S. to India

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Arjumand Juweria. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

Arjumand Juweria is a dedicated community activist in Jersey City. For 12 years, she’s been actively involved in various nonprofit organizations in New Jersey and across India.

She has volunteered with organizations that provide meals, backpacks and other essentials to senior citizens, unhoused individuals and underserved children in her community and abroad. Arjumand believes in getting involved and helping others, and she does this through sponsored medical bills, school fees and other expenses for those in need.

Arjumand has worked with several nonprofit organizations, which have prepared and delivered more than 20,000 meals to those in need. During annual turkey drives, she has helped these organizations distribute over 4,000 turkeys and thousands of non-perishable items. Simultaneously, she distributes tons of fresh produce to 100 to 150 residents monthly.

Her volunteer efforts also include delivering hundreds of turkeys, coats and essential supplies to community members. Through the Leave of Love program, which she works with, they have provided food, beverages, scarves, warming essentials, hygiene kits and hats.

During the festive season, her volunteer efforts extend beyond providing meals. For example, on Valentine’s Day and Thanksgiving, she distributed over 2,500 backpacks for children and 200-250 goodie bags for senior citizens.

As a woman empowerment coordinator and general advisor, she supports and celebrates senior birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Women’s Day in many ways, including facilitating bingo events.

In addition to her work within the United States, Arjumand has also distributed 600 blankets to the people of Telangana. During Ramadan, she volunteers to cook and pack halal meals for individuals in prison. During the other months of the year, she also arranges and distributes books in prisons.

Arjumand’s efforts don’t stop there. She plans to start a nonprofit organization that works with youth and senior citizens. She hopes to inspire people to get involved in community service one day.

What inspires you to volunteer?

While studying to become a pharmacist, I was returning from university when I saw a lady with her kids, approximately 1 and 2 years old. I noticed she was searching for food in a garbage can. Immediately, I helped her to get whatever she needed. We purchased anything possible to make her feel as comfortable as possible.

From that day onward, I decided I needed to help at least one person daily. Islam teaches the importance of giving. When I was a pharmacist, I worked as an outpatient pharmacist. I used to take prescriptions and medicines, pay for them out of my pocket and give them the medication.
I could go on about how I started this journey, but suffice to say that today, my husband and I are very involved. My husband is also generous; we never expect anything in return, only blessings. We don’t need anything from anybody, but it’s a fantastic feeling to see the smiles on the faces of people who need food and to know that I can help nourish them.

What are your long-term goals or aspirations for your legacy?

At the start of every year, I ask myself, “Where do you want to be in five years?” Then, I make plans accordingly. I want to start my nonprofit organization this year to help more people. Now that people are watching and familiarizing themselves with me, they want to contribute. They are inquisitive and acknowledge all my work for our community. So, we want to help as many people as we can reach.

I plan to open a nonprofit organization to work with specific youth and senior citizens they wish to volunteer and spend time with willingly. I don’t believe in just focusing on one population or one specific cause.

I want to spread happiness so that at least one person can see me and think, she’s doing good for our community, why can’t I? Then I do. I want to get inspired. I want other people to get inspired by my actions, by my thinking and by my motivational team.

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?

I always believe that if I spend time and energy on one person, God will give back to me in multiple ways.

As I said, whenever I see their happiness, those smiles on their faces make me happy inside, and I know what I “buy.” If I make one person happy, it’s a blessing. And that person can make other people happy. That smile can spread to different people.

What does it mean to you to volunteer?

I used to think I was wasting money month after month. I began taking $100 from my monthly salary, and now I spend it on people without housing instead of on clothes for myself. Since I started contributing $100 monthly, you won’t believe how much my life has changed. Now, God blesses me with even more.

Never again will you think you are wasting $100 by giving that amount. Giving $100 a month is another way to consider investing in your future. If you cook for yourself, you can cook for five more people. The feeling I receive when distributing to people without housing and those in need is indescribable.

For example, I installed water facilities, particularly in Telangana’s villages with a significant female population. The water installation eliminated their journeys to the mountains to fetch water. I saw this as a problem and tried my best to rectify it. Now, almost 100 people across the north area are getting water daily.

What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?

I had to learn that every person has a need. Even if I’m a millionaire, there will always be help I would be willing to accept.

Any advice for people who want to start volunteering?

I always encourage people to get involved however they can. It is not only impressive but also crucial for the community.

If you see your parents struggling, and then all becomes well, you go to school and college, and then you start working and having a family, then that is your opportunity to pay it forward in whatever ways you can.

When you get involved, any negativity in your life will return to you in many positive ways. Just get involved, and you will see the blessings pour in. It may not be immediate, but you will see it. You are doing good for the community.

I have been doing this for 20 years and in the 21st year, I started to see blessings in my own life pour in.

I always encourage people to participate. If you are a good cook, you can prepare and distribute meals to those facing hunger. In return, you will receive blessings.

What do you want people to learn from your story?

When I started, I was very new to this country. My former employer didn’t pay me my salary for three months, and I was very naive. I had only $50, and my credit card limit was about $2,000. For three months, I survived, and from there, I never stopped helping people. Even when I didn’t have the money, I spent about $10, $15, and $20 weekly for three months. I survived like that.
If you have $5, spend it. If you have $1, spend it and see how it will come to you in a few months or years.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Arjumand? Find local volunteer opportunities.