Shining a Light on your Lifetime Protection
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: May 11, 2023
The Hindu month of Chaitra, April 7 to May 7, is the first month of the Indian calendar with a change in the moon’s orbit. The month starts with Ugadi/Yugadi, which marks the first day of the new calendar. Yuga means “age” and ādi means “beginning” — the beginning of a new age.
During this month, Hindus celebrate with festivals that bring to life an aspect of the universal truth to empower communities. The rituals of the festivals strengthen bonds between and within families and communities. It is a time to serve those in need and reflect on our blessings.
Followers of the Eastern Dharmic traditions — Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists — continue to arrive on American shores. For many of them, their traditions provide a point of reference for civic engagement. Those who immigrated starting from 1965, following the reform to immigration policy (the Hart-Celler Act) are now reaching or have reached retirement age. Some have coped with divorce, the death of a spouse, or a disability. Migration brings its own sense of loss and gain. These changes are very much like a Yugadi.
Immigrants have changed the cultural and religious landscape of this great nation. Yesterday’s immigrants established churches and synagogues. Today’s Dharmic immigrants build Mandirs, Ashrams and Gurudwaras. For the newly transplanted, faith-based institutions, traditions, and culture provide a sense comfort, which is necessary to cope with change. To augment the support that they had in their native land, immigrants must depend more on external resources, such as Social Security.
You can learn more about Social Security’s programs and services during May 1-8, a special week this year when the agency will join forces with faith-based and community groups across the country to increase awareness of these resources. This year’s campaign theme is “Shining a Light on Your Lifelong Protections.”
Transformation, in the landscape of America, requires a mental paradigm shift for all communities to fully access services. Many are beginning to recognize that we need an integrated effort from multiple sources.
Faith Week of Action leads us into Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AANHPIHM) Heritage Month, a time we celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of this rich culture in the United States. Social Security is committed to the White House AA and NHPI Initiative. You can visit our website Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders for more information.
Learn how you can help us spread the message about securing today and tomorrow on our website.
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Anju Bhargava, Deputy Chief Strategic Officer, Social Security Administration
Anju Bhargava, Deputy Chief Strategic Officer, Social Security Administration
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avinash
I follow your articles and i love it my name is Business Directory India Yellow pages Thanks for blog
gkb
You folks are always worried about one side of the story .. your side. This is not a diversified approach as much as America claims that it is.
Donna M.
What most Americans don’t know is that the American military has “borrowed” from Social Security and Medicare…and never paid back the money they “borrowed”. This has been happening for years!
This is not borrowing! This is stealing!
R.F.
Donna, Social Security is a pay-as-you-go system. Social Security taxes collected from today’s workers pay the benefits of today’s retirees. Any funds in excess of what is needed to pay today’s benefits are invested in special issue, U.S. Government, interest-bearing securities. This investment – the purchase of U.S. Government securities – is what constitutes the “borrowing” that people are sometimes concerned about. Any funds that have been “borrowed” from the Social Security Trust Funds have always been paid back in full, plus interest. Please check out our Trust Fund Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.
cris b.
I believe in seperation of church and state.
While some of the human aspects you have brought up are important to individuals. Social Security should be free of any religion so all individuals are treated equally regardless of religion. If government is to play a role in
religion it should be to provide a site where we can learn about each others cultures perhaps through face book or ………. Social security is to administer to peoples financial needs. It’s a shame we cannot count on all states to be open an supportive of all people. This should be what we encourage as a government regardless of race, creed, or religion…
tony
The American currency states on it, “In God We Trust.” There is no single religion when this country was established. The forefathers of this country were not of the same religion. Americans forgot what it was like to escape religious prosecution.
Merrey
Is this separation of Church and State ?
Susan
Thank you for addressing the needs of our Hindi citizens for facing the challenges of aging. I am sorry that my fellow citizens are unable to see the point of your article. It is unusual to see an article with such a narrow focus, though. Probably we need more of them!
Ved C.
So glad to read this blog. I appreciate the initiative from SS Administration to try to reach out to the New Americans, those of us who came to the American shores during the last quarter century. We are law abiding, hard working, well educated professionals and businessmen and women who have contributed to the fullest to the American economy, not depended on any hand outs, yet we have been neglected by successive US Administrations.
Therefore, it is so refreshing to read this blog that makes an attempt to connect with us, the New Americans, and makes us feel that, after all, this Administration cares about us.
Kudos for the great job. Please continue to reach out to this silent, hard working wave of new immigrants with a great work ethic, who would need help from SSA in their retirement years.
R.F.
Thanks for your comment! We appreciate your thoughts. We are committed to providing the public with the best service possible.
Guru
Thank you so much for your enlightened article Anju Bharghava. It’s time SSA showed some good consideration for the diversity. Please keep contributing like this for the Asian American important festivities. This will help many of our own second & third generation who would benefit from their first generation ancestors contribution to SSA but would be at dark in not knowing our traditional heritage based on faith! An excellent attempt well portrayed! Congrats & looking forward to more like this!
R.F.
Thanks for your feedback!
MARYLOU
THANKYOU ..Finally .now maybe ALL Americans will read and read to see what the government has to offer. I am an American who reads. I now have a great apt .ssd and pets too .!! Why don’t folks read no more . Everything you think they were just given to them are not true.They too worked and read. I am full example of an American dream. I love it 😉 thanks