We are pleased to share that two of our members, Richard and Sandhya Sekar, were recently recognized as “Unsung Heroes” by California State Assemblymember Alex Lee at a special ceremony. Longtime members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, their service reflects a consistent and generous commitment to those in need.

Each week, they coordinate the collection of donated produce, meat, desserts, and bread from local grocery stores for distribution to families in need. Sandhya also leads the backpack giveaway project, helping ensure that essential supplies reach those they serve. During the COVID pandemic, they were part of a dedicated team that manually cut more than 21,000 pieces of cloth to produce masks, which were then donated to 40 hospitals at a time of urgent need.

Their care for the community extends to environmental stewardship. Richard and Sandhya organized children and families to create over 60,000 seedballs, which were distributed across the Dominican Sisters’ land and in Martinez to support tree growth and restoration. They also helped plant fruit trees on the Dominican Sisters’ property, providing a sustainable source of fresh fruit for future St. Vincent de Paul outreach.

In addition, Richard coordinated a large-scale riverbed clean-up effort in India, where a volunteer team removed 10 tons of plastic waste from the Cauvery River.

Richard and Sandhya are most deserving of this recognition. We are grateful for their leadership, their generosity, and the example they set through their faithful service to others.

Please visit our Saint Vincent de Paul page for more details: https://www.saintjosephmsj.org/works-of-mercy/st-vincent-de-paul/