HYDERABAD: Renowned Telugu playback singer and voice artiste, Sunitha Upadrashta, will be the global brand ambassador of Touch-A-Life (TAL) Foundation, a non-profit organisation to support the needy and underprivileged, based in the bay area of California in the US.
The foundation is launching an app called TALGiving that facilitates donations between donor and donee — so that people in need, of all ages, can get the support they deserve including educational, food, medical, shelter, and clothing assistance. Sunitha will be spreading the message of TALGiving across the globe as ambassador.
“It is an important time for communities to come together, to provide people in need the resources they require - whether it be medical assistance, food, shelter, etc. And this is what the new initiative is designed to address – making it easier to connect the donor with donee with an easy to use mobile app/website. I am happy to spread awareness of the TALGiving platform, an app designed to facilitate one-to-one connections between donor and recipient,” Sunitha says.
How it works
The new effort is to expand globally, which is one of the reasons for Sunitha to come on board as an ambassador, she says.
The app originally launched locally in Bay Area California as a pilot/beta, but with Sunitha’s support, it will leap onto a global platform– so that people from all over the world can help each other out.
Any donor, donee, or organisation can sign up on the platform. Donors have their own portal/profile where they can offer resources to donate, and manage donations.
Donees have a separate profile that helps them seek out the resources they need. The platform/app helps connect these two together to facilitate the donations.
Anyone can use the app to raise funds, or ask for resources they need - this includes clothing, food, housing, medical care, etc. - beyond just monetary donations.
This is the jig differentiator from other platforms like GoFundMe. Also, TALGiving has zero fees involved, the foundation’s spokesperson adds. Available on Play Store and iStore and built on blockchain and AI technologies, TALGiving facilitates a transparent connection between those in need and those that can provide help and support, through easy-to-use mobile and desktop apps. TALGiving enables both individual and corporate donors to provide educational, food, medical, shelter, and clothing assistance to citizens of all ages—from students to seniors—with just a few taps or clicks.
Sunitha received a New Jersey state recognition award in 2019, recognising her excellence and contributions to the world of music and Indian cinema. She was also the lead performer at the TAL Annual Day 2019 banquet, where the TALGiving platform was introduced to the public. “Sunitha’s passion for spreading kindness and her simplicity in connecting to people from all walks of life is truly inspiring,” said Tej Gundavelli, CEO and Co-Founder, Touch-A-Life Foundation.
Founder’s Take
Tej is a graduate of UC Berkeley and is currently working at PayPal. In the past, he has worked with various non-profit organisations such as Elefante Blanco and Sacred Heart Community Services to help the Bay Area’s homeless community. By working with school districts throughout the Bay Area, he hopes to use Touch-A-Life Foundation to help homeless students in the Bay Area by working with high school students, working professionals, and several corporations and institutions who would like to use their resources in ways that will be beneficial to the local homeless student community.
Trisha Gundavelli, c-Founder and CFO, a student at Notre Dame High School, Trisha has developed a passion for animal rights and wildlife protection. She has helped to expand the scope of Touch-A-Life Foundation to support outreach to animal shelters and animal protection charities particularly in the Bay Area where there is a true need. Additionally, she hopes to lead the charge to raise awareness of endangered species, protecting their habitats and developing ways to sustain safe spaces for wildlife to grow and flourish.
“TAL has acquired he necessary permissions and as transparency is at the heart of their operations, I chose to associate with them,” says the acclaimed singer who says that her pet causes are girl child, strays and special kids. “If I can help even one person and inspire others through my networks, I feel privileged,” she adds.