Touching Lives Foundation is a non-profit and registered society dedicated to empowering and supporting marginalized groups through direct action and community-based campaigns to offer relief, assistance, and support to those in critical need. By addressing a broad range of issues including mental health awareness, domestic violence, and urban poverty, Touching Lives Foundation is able to reach a wide and diverse group of stakeholders across social and economic lines as it seeks to channel support and resources to vulnerable and under-served groups, particularly in the South Asian community.
Driven by a strong conviction that social collaboration and partnerships are the bedrock of resilient and lasting community building, Touching Lives Foundations works alongside other charitable initiatives to pursue common goals and fully maximize the value and impact of received donations. Harnessing the shared power of grassroots activism, the foundation is able to bolster local engagement in key social causes and fulfil its core mandate – to touch a life, to make a difference.
Founded in 2019 by two friends, Josephine Chauhan and Neera Singh, Touching Lives Foundation was conceived as a charitable endeavour reflecting the passion of its founders for social justice and reflecting their common struggles-two immigrant women faced with adversity and setbacks in their attempts to navigate the transition to building a new life in Canada, but forever grateful for their newfound opportunities and wanting to give back in a meaningful way. As the need for social philanthropy grows ever larger in an environment of diminishing government assistance, Touching Lives Foundation relies on the generosity of individual donors and community partners to tackle pressing and urgent social problems in its mission to positively influence, impact, and uplift the most vulnerable members of society.
Neera Singh
Neera Singh is the co-founder of Touching Lives Foundation. She grew up in New Delhi India and moved to Vancouver, Canada in 2002. Neera works full-time for one of the post-secondary institutes in BC and also dedicates her time to giving back to the community. She is a passionate community activist who believes in practicing gratitude and giving back. A strong advocate for the unprivileged and the vulnerable amongst us, Neera embodies Margret Mead’s words–“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it’s the only thing that ever has. “Over the past several years, Neera has been involved in a variety of community initiatives both in her personal and professional capacities, having volunteered for other societies and non-profits including BC Organizational Development Network, Shakti Society, Laxmi Narayan Mandir. Through her non-profit, Touching Lives Foundation, Neera has also organized several fundraisers to support other community-based non-profits and philanthropic endeavours. Whether it is advocacy or creating awareness for causes that impact our communities, Neera continues to work towards creating opportunities for growth and change for the betterment of our community and to improve the lives of those who live in these communities.
Josephine Chauhan
Josephine Chauhan is the co-founder of Touching Lives Foundation. She is engaged in extensive volunteer work at the grassroots level and is active in various community initiatives. She is passionate about helping people in need and finding them opportunities to thrive and live fulfilling lives. A strong advocate for healthcare workers’ rights, she became engaged in the BC Hospital Employees Union as a local Chairperson and used her platform to represent and defend those facing discrimination and abuse in the workplace. She has organized a broad range of community-based fundraisers over the years and has partnered with several philanthropic organizations. She volunteers with Guru Nanak Free Kitchen and helps support them with their mandate of feeding marginalized persons in the Downtown Eastside. She also works with a local church to find housing for those experiencing homelessness. Josephine recently received an award from Shakti Society for community service excellence in acknowledgement of her enduring contributions to social justice initiatives. Her passion in this area extends to championing the importance of mental health and she works tirelessly to eliminate the stigma around openly discussing mental health issues. Her contributions and work in the mental health field were recognized with an award from Punjabi Health.