Desi Talk

www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 6 CITY VIEWS August 15, 2025 Community Op-Ed: Helping New Yorkers Save Up To $1 Billion With First-In-The-Nation Municipal Student Loan And College Assistance Program August 11, 2025 M y mother was a single parent who worked three jobs just to make sure my siblings and I had a roof over our heads and food on the table—so I know the struggle to live a better life is real. A college education can help NewYork- ers go far, but the financial burden of that education can be overwhelming. For far too many NewYorkers, pursuing a college degree leads to a lifetime of debt. Many of these NewYorkers are city employees, like Shiniqua, who — after pursuing two Master’s degrees, including a Master’s in Public Administration —was left with $240,000 in debt. That is an unimaginable sum for most NewYorkers and it shouldn’t be the price you have to pay to achieve your dreams. That is why, earlier this year, our administration announced a partnership with leading student loan-forgiveness company, Summer, to help wipe out $360 million in student loan debt for 100,000 hard-working public servants. And now, we are proud to expand this program to all NewYork City residents and help working- class NewYorkers keep up to $1 billion in their pockets. Our municipal student loan payment reduction and college savings assistance program will allow NewYorkers to reach for the American Dream without breaking the bank as NewYork City becomes the first major city in the nation to provide universal student loan and college sav- ings assistance to all our residents. This is a major milestone for our city and a lifesaver for hard-working NewYorkers like Shiniqua. Our program will help an estimated 1.4 million NewYorkers manage and pay down their existing loans with lower monthly payments and a pathway to debt forgiveness. It will also offer special- ized assistance for parents and guardians of college-bound children, helping 1.6 million more NewYorkers. Together, our efforts will help 3 million working people keep up to $1 billion in their pockets by reducing student loan payments by an average of $3,000 per year, and, for those with advanced degrees, we expect the average payments to be reduced by $7,000 per year. It will also help families save up to $10,000 per child through college plan- ning resources. Additionally, we will help public servants and not-for-profit employees receive benefits from the federal government’s Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which enables debt to be forgiven after 10 years of service and payments. Since day one, our administration has been focused on putting money back into NewYorkers’ pockets. We are driving down the cost of living and spearhead- ing initiatives like the Earned Income Tax Credit to return hundreds of millions of dollars back to qualified low-income New Yorkers, connecting NewYorkers in public housing to free high-speed internet and basic TV through Big Apple Connect, and cancelling $2 billion in medical debt for working-class NewYorkers. Additionally, this year, we successfully called on Albany to “Axe the Tax for theWorking Class,” which eliminates and cuts city personal income taxes for 582,000 NewYorkers and their dependents, putting $63 million back into their pockets. These programs, combined with other federal, state, and lo- cal programs to which we have connected NewYorkers, have helped put $30 billion back in NewYorkers’ pockets. All NewYorkers deserve to live in a city where they and their families can get ahead and thrive. Our citywide student loan and college saving assistance pro- gram, along with our other Money in Your Pocket initiatives, is a crucial step toward building a more affordable and equitable society — one in which working-class NewYorkers like my mother don’t have to struggle to get by. By NewYork City Mayor Eric Adams Flushing Swaminarayan Mandir Hosts Back To School Supply Giveaway A back to school free supply drive was organized Sunday, August 10, 2025 at the Flushing Swaminara- yan Mandir (BAPS) in Queens for school going children under 14. More than a hundred children gathered backpacks, notebooks and colors and pencils and more in the open-to-all sup- ply drive, organized jointly by LiveOnNY, an organ and tissue donation organiza- tion; Indian Nurses Association of New York (INANY), NewYork City Department of Correction (NYCD) Desi Society; hosted by Flushing Swaminarayan Temple. The four organizations came together for the first time to organize such a drive, although similar drives have been organized by the other organizations elsewhere. “This is the first time that the BAPS Flushing Swaminarayan Mandir has joined these organizations in holding this open to all drive,” said Dr. Vipul Patel, Administrator of the External and Com- munity Affairs Committee of the temple to Desi Talk. “It gives us a great pleasure to host this event in pursuit of education which our Guru Pramukh Swami had always stressed on,” Patel added. Young children came with their parents and selected their choice from a large table spread with school supplies. The af- ternoon became a fun-filled shopping and playing experience for the children who went home holding the gift balloons in their hands. The experience became more joyful as kids could participate actively in shopping for themselves. “Every backpack, notebook, and pencil handed out today represents hope and opportunity,” said Anto Paul, Treasurer of INANY. The event was attended by committee members of INANY including President Dr. Shyla Roshin, Vice President Dr. Esther Devadoss, Secretary Shabnampreet Kaur, Joint Secretary Grace Alexander and Trea- surer Anto Paul. “Participating in this back-to-school donation drive at BAPS Mandir alongside LiveOnNY was a meaningful opportunity to empower students with the resources they need to succeed,” said Dr. Shyla Roshin, While Devadoss emphasized the value of education, Kaur informed about the community outreach efforts of INANY. Alexander said the four organizations coming together was inspirational. “This partnership with LiveOnNY and the warm hospitality of BAPS Mandir truly made this event special,” she said. Similar sentiments were expressed by LiveOnNY Community and Public Affairs Liaison Dunesh Kaur. Trustee Dr. Mariam Singh of NYCD Desi Society said it was heartwarming to see the community unite for the supplies giveaway which she described as invest- ing in the future of the community. “This event exemplified what can be achieved when communities come together to em- power the next generation while raising awareness for critical causes like saving lives through organ donation,” Singh said. Thanking Patel for hosting the event, Singh said he and BAPS have always advocated for empowering the younger generation through education, mentor- ship; and wellness initiatives. By Archana Adalja PHOTOS:CourtesyVipul Patel Members of Indian Nurses Association NY, NYCD Desi Society, LiveOnNY, and BAPS Flushing Swaminarayan Mandir at the Back to School supplies giveaway on Sunday, August 10, 2025. Children enjoying collecting free school supplies at the Back to School supplies giveaway on Sunday, August 10, 2025, at the BAPS Flushing Swaminarayan Mandir.