Community Seva - Abode Services Volunteer 2023

Nathan Ganeshan’s philosophy is simple but profound: Our lives are defined by what we are doing for others.

That selfless approach, inspired by a Martin Luther King Jr. quote, drives Ganeshan’s volunteer efforts and his charity’s purpose. Community Seva, the organization he founded a decade ago, aims to feed the hungry and serve the homeless. Its mission dovetails perfectly with Abode Services’ goals, which helps explain why Ganeshan’s team from Community Seva has become one of our most dedicated volunteer groups.

“Not everybody is blessed like we are, so we want to help those who need it,” he said. “It's a passion of ours to help others. There’s no judgement, just giving.”

Ganeshan chose his organization’s name because “seva” means “selfless service” in Sanskrit. Abode Services has benefitted from Community Seva’s selflessness, as Ganeshan and his group have provided countless volunteer hours to help our clients.

For the past eight years, they have prepared and served meals at our Sunrise Village Emergency Shelter, feeding Abode clients and brightening the days and nights for families and individuals living there. Community Seva takes pride in serving tasty, well-balanced, and nutritious meals intended to please diners, Ganeshan said.

“We like to serve healthy food that our brothers and sisters will like a lot,” he said. “Care is in the ingredients, love is in the ingredients. We really put a lot of care and smiles into it. That’s what it’s all about for us.”

Community Seva has not stopped there, as they help thousands of people each month.

Marita Vincent, a youth volunteer with Community Seva, said volunteering has taught her that homelessness sometimes disproportionately affects some communities more than others.

“Many teens my age living amid the Bay Area’s wealth do not experience people at the opposite end of the spectrum, those who struggle to get one warm meal a day,” Vincent said. “Volunteering at Abode has made me grateful for what I have, but has also made me closer to the members of Community Seva through continuous service.”

The Bay Area group and its members distribute blankets to unhoused people in the winter. In addition, they give out backpacks that are filled with hygiene kits that include toiletries, socks, blankets, gloves, beanie caps, rain ponchos, and other items.

“We realized that food isn’t enough, we needed to bring dignity to peoples’ lives,” Ganeshan said. “We said, ‘Let’s do more.’”

Ganeshan said his group has around 40 core members who perform a wide range of volunteer duties, including donating walking shoes and solar cell phone chargers to people experiencing homelessness. This work is part of the organization’s attempts to match the region’s housing and homelessness crisis.

“The need is so great, and there are so many more people to help,” he said. “I can’t just be sitting at home. I’m going to do more and more, because the need is more.”

Ganeshan praised Abode Services for “making it easy” for his group to volunteer to help our clients. However, we must thank Ganeshan and his group members for being so diligent in helping those less fortunate.

“It’s a passion,” he said. “We genuinely want to give back. And if you make other people’s needs as your top priority, then you can always make it happen.”