What is ShantiNiketan?

ShantiNiketan is a pioneer in building retirement communities aimed at providing niche segments with those things that really matter to persons of those segments. ShantiNiketan has built communities in Tavares, FL (www.ShantiNiketan.us), and launching similar communities in various cities around the US and other countries.

What is ShantiNiketan-Ashram?

ShantiNiketan Ashram (SNA) is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization with a mission to provide seniors living in SNA, a dignified, peaceful, and happy environment where they can spend their golden years. SNA will build and operate retirement communities to serve those who are unable to pay, in part or in full, for their own retirement care.

How will SNA select who will come and live in SNA?

Potential residents who want to come and live in SNA will call us or enroll on our website giving preliminary information that will help SNA to make a decision. Once SNA receives the information, one of SNA Ambassadors in that city will personally visit the person and interview them and approve or disapprove the person as a potential resident in SNA. Once a person is approved to live in SNA, they will be listed along with other approved persons, and they will be asked to move into SNA once SNA has received sufficient donations to build a unit for that person/couple. Donors will donate to a particular person on the list of approved potential residents.

How will people come to know about SNA?

SNA will invite people who need help through emails, advertisements on Television, Newspapers, stores, restaurants, other non-profit organizations like various regional associations, temples etc. SNA will also have volunteers in every city in the US called Ambassadors. The Ambassadors will meet with potential applicants who need help, talk with them and recommend them to apply for assistance at SNA. Thus SNA will build a database of people around the country who want to come and live in SNA. Potential donors can look at the assessment reports before deciding to fund any person/couple.

How does SNA finance the Ashram?

SNA is a 501(C)3 charitable non-profit organization which seeks donations from donors around the country. Donors will be identified through the TV ads and through the Ambassadors making appeals at Indian Association functions in their cities. The donors will be able to look at all the applications on the SNA website and target their donation to as many receipients as they want. SNA would seek sufficient donations which would pay for the cost of the condo and sufficient amount, which when invested in an endowment fund, will provide for the annual costs of taking care of a couple, before a couple is taken under the wings of SNA for the rest of their life.

SNA would seek sufficient donations which would pay for the cost of the condo and sufficient amount, which when invested in an endowment fund, will provide for the annual costs of taking care of a couple, before a couple is taken under the wings of SNA for the rest of their life.

There are 365 days in a year. SNA would seek donations in the amount of $600 per unit/donor by suggesting that this would help pay for the costs of taking care of one person/couple for “one day in a year for perpetuity”. Seeking $600 “per day per person” will accumulate sufficient capital to pay for
the perpetual care of one couple.

SNA is being built as part of a 100 acre complex which also houses other ShantiNiketan communities in Tavares FL. In these condos, two single seniors or a couple can stay comfortably. These condos will be run like any other ShantiNiketan Condominium community with food, temple, cultural activities etc.

How can one make a donation for this noble cause?

There are many ways one can donate and be part of this vision. Even if you are unable to donate much in cash, we urge everyone to paticipate in this noble endeavour by becoming volunteers and spreading the word in your community.

The donors will be able to browse through all the applicants for help on the SNA website and choose any one or mutiple receipient to donate towards. Since their donation goes directly for the care of a particular person, it would encourage the donors to keep donating every year for the care of many seniors.

How will SNA take care of the residents when they become sick?

Once residents move into SNA, it will seek to get all the government assistance that one could be eligible for (if they have not already done so). Things like Medicaid, Food stamps, SSI, Rental assistance etc. The amounts received through these will form an endowment , and the returns from that amount will be used for the long term care of the residents at SNA.

Long Term Care: It is very likely that some of the residents can get sick while living at SNA. We need to make arrangements for their care when they become sick. SNA will seek local volunteers to provide voluntary assistance as administrators, nurses and care givers and also seek doctors who would come to SNA to provide care to the residents. There are many Indians in ShantiNiketan and outside in the town who would love to do some voluntary work in this area. Many of the ShantiNiketan residents themselves have already volunteered for this.