The Ashland Community, located in the San Francisco Bay Area, is significantly underserved. As a neighbourhood of 21,000 residents, it is lacking many social programs one of the communities in the area of greatest in need. Beginning in February of 2001 the Bay Area Young Adults (BAYA), with the involvement of volunteers from local Sai Centers, expanded their basic computer skills training courses to provide training for the residents of Ashland. With these skills, students of these classes have been able to find new jobs or advancement in their current jobs. In addition to this, these classes helped the students gain self-confidence, increase self-esteem and, gave the students a solid foundation to further study computers. The computer training was the foot in the door, as it were. Soon BAYA realized the greater needs present in this community and began to branch out into providing other services as part of a regional service project.

These services include:

1. The Ashland Spring Fling is an annual community event that brings together the residents for a day of fun-infused activities and information sharing. Many booths were set in place to make residents aware of the social services available to them. The Sathya Sai Baba Organization was influential in the planning and execution of this event for 2003. In addition, a Human and Family Values Art Contest was organized for the children attending the event. Over 120 children participated. We will continue our involvement in the Ashland Spring Fling and we are currently busy in the planning of a 'Walk for Values' event, as part of this year's Ashland Spring Fling.

2. Working with the children and youth at Ashland is one of the primary goals of our service activities. Young adults worked with children to paint a mural on a wall within an apartment complex of the community. The activity proved to be a fun and educational experience for all, giving the children an opportunity to learn the importance of self-discipline and cooperation.

3. Other community building activities and events have provided the Sathya Sai Baba Organization opportunities to work shoulder to shoulder with Ashland residents. Ashland Beautification days are organized regularly to clean the streets and re-instil community pride.

4. Sai devotees also have had the opportunity to join the residents for celebration of holidays and festivals. We have also collected toys for the children for the past two years through the Ashland Holiday Gift drive, which has served over 100 local families.

5. BAYA was approached by a local Ashland school to teach enrichment classes to 10 year olds. Working with this charter public school, our volunteers have taught, on an ongoing basis, chess, soccer, business, art, computer skills and robotics to children who otherwise would not have had this opportunity.

6. Plans are underway and progressing smoothly towards the opening of the Ashland Free Medical Clinic that will provide free medical and dental services to people who have limited, or no, medical insurance. We anticipate this clinic to open its doors to the residents of Ashland within the next few months. Although it is not an Organizational project per se, many residents and social service providers within the in the Ashland community know that this project is being coordinated by members of the Sathya Sai Baba Organization.

7. Preparation and planning is currently underway to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, as well as web development classes in this community.

In recognition for our efforts in Ashland, the Sathya Sai Baba Organization was nominated for the Ashland Good Neighbor Award, in the 'Organizations' category. This was an honor and privilege as we hope to continue to serve the divine in Ashland and we offer this accolade directly to Sri Sathya Sai Baba.