The Zag: Episode 223 w/ Kavita Mehra

As Executive Director of Sakhi for South Asian Women, Kavita Mehra, NLC New Jersey 2013 Fellow, is on the frontlines ensuring that domestic violence survivors’ basic needs are met during this unstable moment. The fallout from COVID-19 disproportionately affects Sakhi's clients who are overwhelmingly immigrant women of color with little to no income—and if employed, often in hourly wage work in service jobs that are being decimated by growing social distancing requirements. Sakhi is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 related calls from existing clients who are losing jobs, facing food and housing insecurity, and experiencing pressure to allow abusers back into their homes—violating orders of protection. These setbacks are also creating mounting levels of anxiety and depression among clients, taxing the organization's mental health services. In response, Sakhi has modified all of their core services to maintain continuity of support for clients; expanded their Food Justice Program to address rising food insecurity; and expanded their Client Emergency Assistance Program to provide immediate help to clients in crisis.