Poonam Chabra
“ Volunteers are often the glue that holds a community together , and my goal has always been to build a team to help give back to the needy .”
Founder / Executive Director - IASC-Circle of Giving , Commissioner - MH Library , Culture & Arts Commission , Member - Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce . pchabra69 @ gmail . com
Upon moving from India to the United States 28 years ago , Poonam Chabra was thrilled to find a thriving Indian American community in the Silicon Valley . She married her husband Rakesh two years later and they settled in Morgan Hill , where they raised their two children and became deeply connected to the community .
Poonam left behind a career in India as a research chemist and turned to events planning , from the large-scale to the virtual , organizing events for corporations and nonprofits alike . She has also taken on numerous volunteer roles in the county and locally , including the Indian Association of South Santa Clara County ( IASC ). She currently serves as Commissioner for the Library , Cultural and Arts Commission ( LCAC ), a board member for the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce , and as a member of the local Rotary Club .
In spring of 2020 , Poonam founded a humanitarian initiative through the IASC called “ the Circle of Giving ” to help the vulnerable community in South County , primarily the homeless , farm workers , domestic violence victims , seniors , and underserved children .
“ Having seen the Indian community thrive , I wanted to empower us to give back to the extended community , to go one full circle ,” she said . Poonam ’ s generous spirit is partly inspired by her father-in-law , a philanthropist who built orphanages for underprivileged children in India . “ I have that in me to serve , and to continue the legacy that he left behind ,” she said .
She also found inspiration as a graduate of the 2018 class of Leadership Morgan Hill . “ Leadership led to being part of the LCAC , the chamber , Rotary , and then everything started falling into place . I spread my wings and found myself going in the direction of community service .”
One of her passions is to create and promote multicultural events , such as the “ International Celebration ” that she helped lead through the LCAC , and by showing up for other cultural events within the community . “ My vision in this community is to see how we can learn about each other ’ s cultures , understand why we practice what we do , so our children can understand and respect each other ’ s cultures . The way to do that is to attend each other ’ s cultural events .”
Volunteering is now just a part of the fabric of her life . “ By giving back to the place I call home , I want to unite the community and bridge some of the social , economic , and cultural gaps .”
20 WINTER 2022 gmhTODAY Magazine gmhtoday . com