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www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 5 CITY VIEWS March 27, 2026 South Asian Council For Social Services To Hold Outreach Event With ITV Gold In Edison, NJ N ewYork based South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS) and ParikhWorldwide Media (PWM) have jointly organized a healthcare related outreach event at ITV Gold Studios on March 28, 2026 from 12 in the afternoon to 4 in the evening. The event will be held at PWM’s head- quarters at 1655 Oak Tree Road, Suite 155, Edison, New Jersey. The free full-day event will have SACSS enrollment specialists helping people understand federal and city public benefits including health insurance, food stamps and more. Healthcare experts from SACSS will answer people’s questions, guide and assist them through the steps of applications, educate them about health issues and benefits. ITV Gold, with Padma Shri recipient Dr. Sudhir Parikh as its founder President, has been the longest- running South Asian and Indo-Caribbean television network in the US, featuring a state-of-the-art studio and auditorium.US Election Coverage Based in Flushing, NewYork, SACSS, a nonprofit organization under the dedicated leadership of founder and executive director Sudha Acharya, has been serving the underserved community since its inception in the year 2000. It helps obtain health insurance, access public benefits, and educates the community about health and mental health issues and services available. It has been providing free language learning classes and workforce develop- ment training. SACSS stepped up its services during the pandem- ic with cooked meal services to homes. Today, it runs one of the largest food pantries in NewYork. More than 300,000 community members are taking advan- tage of its direct services. SACSSs healthcare services include individual guid- ance through healthcare access on Medicare and Medic- aid, long term care, home health attendant services, and more. SACSSs experienced certified application counsel- ors help the uninsured with affordable health coverage. Its Community Health Advocates help with accessing healthcare plan which suits individual needs and understand the plans complex requirements and benefits. SACSS has been helping the community apply and obtain SNAP benefits or food stamps, Access-A-Ride, rental assistance, low fare metro cards and more. Its trained representatives also help people with their long term care needs and accessing available long term care services, nursing home and adult daycare services. At the same time, SACSS has been bringing awareness about mental health issues including loss and grieving and how to cope with them through educational workshops and partnering with other organizations. Beside serving as a media hub with broadcasts of news, talk shows and other programming, ITV Gold offers a studio with advanced technology to film and edit documentaries and short films and blogs. As a South Asian Media center, it hosts community events, political meet-and-greets, and cultural per- formances. Parikh said he is aware that SACSS has been serving the community for more than 25 years and partnering with it on this event is in line with his per- sonal mission to serve the community’s healthcare education and needs. Parikh, a leading medical professional, has been showing support for healthcare related events in the community. “Events like this are necessary as they help the Indian community in particular and the underserved community at large, understand the healthcare system and access benefits,” he told News India Times.India Travel Guides Those interested in participating in the event can register online on SACSS website at https://www.sac - ssny.org/event/sacss-outreach-event-in-edison-nj/ or call SACSS at (718) 321-7929 for more information. By Archana Adalja PHOTO:SACSS SACSS flyer on outreach meeting. D uring March and February, Sen. Vin Gopal of New Jersey, and supporters hosted sev- eral events to acknowledge the diversity of District 11 which he represents in the Leg- islature. These included Black history, Irish American heritage, women’s history and Greek Independence. “It’s gratifying to report that the high turnouts at these events show that LD11 residents share our in- terest in meeting and learning about their neighbors who come from different backgrounds.” Gopal said in a March 19, 2026, letter posted on senatorgopal.com. “With the divisive climate in America today, we wanted to give a shout out to the honorees, whose work and accomplishments contribute to our com- munities and remind us of all the positive things we share. Gopal named high achievers in each of the com- munities celebrated. “We celebrated legacies of re- siliency, community-building, cultural achievement, and activism in Monmouth County and the vibrant history of artists, musicians, business owners, and civil rights leaders here,” he said about Black History celebrations. TheWomen’s History Month Celebration drew a big crowd to the Parlor Gallery in Asbury Park. Honor- ees represented a wide range of interests and accom- plishments ranging from students to philanthropists, businesswomen, and as well as a woman fire chief and Emergency Medical Technician. The Irish American Celebration honored the heritage of a strong work ethic and dedication to the community. The Greek Independence Day is scheduled for March 25 where the flag of Greece will be raised in recognition of the “rich heritage and culture of our Greek-American neighbors and friends and to honor their independence.” “When we experience the cultures and achieve- ments of our diverse neighbors, we realize the truth in the words of the brilliant author and poet Maya Angelou: “We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike,” Gopal said. NJ Senator Vin Gopal Celebrates His District’s Diversity By a StaffWriter PHOTO:FACEBOOK Sen. Vin Gopal at the Irish celebrations March 16, 2026.