1. What is AID?
2. Why should I join AID Virginia Tech?
3. How do I join AID Virginia Tech?
4. Is there a membership fee for joining?
5. Who can I speak with, to know more about AID Virginia Tech?
6. When do you meet?
7. Can I just attend a meeting and see what goes on?
8. I may have other appointments during the meeting hour. Can I help AID Virginia Tech in other ways ?
9. What if I am not able to attend all the meetings?
10. How does AID Virginia Tech work?
11. Where does AID Virginia Tech get funds from?
12. What kind of developmental activities does AID Virginia Tech support?
13. I do not have time to volunteer, but I still want to contribute. How may I help?
14. I will be graduating from Virginia Tech soon. Can I still support AID Virginia Tech?
15. How do I donate funds to AID?
16. What are the responsibilities of an AID volunteer?
1. What is AID ?
Association for India's Development (AID) is a voluntary, not-for-profit organization that supports a wide variety of development projects such as those contributing towards literacy, health care, access to credit, vocational skill training, women's empowerment and children's welfare.
2. Why should I join AID Blacksburg at Virginia Tech ?
To contirbute to social welfare and development in India;
To be part of a large group of members who voluntarily contribute to grassroots-level development in India; and,
To share your unique knowledge, views and experiences while evaluating projects, under discussion in AID.
3. How do I join AID Blacksburg at Virginia Tech ?
You can subscribe to the AID listserv or send an email to
aid(at)vt.edu about your interests.
To attend any weekly community service hour meeting, please view our meeting schedule.
4. Is there a membership fee for joining ?
No. There is no membership fee.
5. Who can I talk to know more about AID Virginia Tech ?
You can talk to any AID Blacksburg volunteer. The list of executive committee members may be found at the About us webpage.
6. When do you meet ?
We meet every week in Squires Student Center. Our meeting schedule is listed on the main page or (please inquire for AID at the information desk in Squires Student Center) on College Avenue in the Virginia Tech campus.
7. Can I just attend a meeting and see what goes on ?
Yes, you are very welcome to join us and participate in our meetings.
8. I may have other appointments during the meeting hour. Can I help AID Blacksburg in other ways ?
Yes, if for some reason you cannot attend the meetings, you can still contribute to AID in other ways. Please send an email to aid@vt.edu to know about other ways to help AID.
9. What if I am not able to attend all the meetings ?
That is not a problem at all. AID is a voluntary organization and we understand that you may have other engagements and responsibilities. You may participate in our activities whenever convenient.
10. How does AID Virginia Tech work ?
A non-governmental organization in India sends a proposal to AID about their project or program with an estimate of the funds required. We, at AID Blacksburg, discuss and analyze the proposal in detail. If a majority of the members approve the proposal, then the project is chosen for funding.
11. Where does AID Virginia Tech get funds from ?
AID Blacksburg gets funds to support projects in India mainly through fund-raising drives in Blacksburg (like luncheons, film festivals, classical dances, music concerts) and by selling Kroger/Food Lion grocery certificates, kurtas, calendars, to name a few. A significant contribution to AID Blacksburg is also made by many generous personal donors.
12. What kind of developmental activities does AID Virginia Tech support ?
AID Blacksburg supports a variety of developmental projects in India. Please take a look at the past projects handled by AID Blacksburg.
13. I do not have time to volunteer, but I still want to contribute. How may I help ?
You may contribute to AID in many ways - through your financial contributions, or by offering your skills and expertise in areas such as preparing artwork, flyers, and posters. You can also get AID t-shirts, calendars.
Donations to AID Blacksburg can be sent through personal checks or through online.
14. I will be graduating from Virginia Tech soon. Can I still support AID Blacksburg?
Yes. You can fill out the pledge form on our contributions and thus help AID Virginia Tech to continue its development effort.
15. How do I donate funds to AID ?
You can send your donations as personal checks in favor of AID-Virginia Tech and post them to
Association for India's Development
Virginia Tech Chapter
121 Squires Student Center (0546)
Blacksburg, VA-24061.
or donate online.
16. What are the responsibilities of an AID volunteer?
As a volunteer of AID, I will do the following:
By-laws, legal matters
a) Uphold the by-laws and various associated guidelines issued from time to time.
b) When voting on a substantive matter, ensure that I am sufficiently informed.
c) Represent AID correctly in legal matters, based on explicit authorization from the BoD or EB.
Vision & Directions
d) Familiarize myself with the vision, directions and development approach of
AID. These are represented in sources like the Vision, Mission, First-time Volunteers sections of the website, the AID Plan, as well as reflected through our long term collaborations.
e) Recognize that AID has a holistic approach to development, which includes sangharsh - non-violent struggle for justice and rights, nirman - constructive activity, seva - service through responsible living. Though as an individual volunteer, I might focus on particular aspects, recognize the place in AID for all of them.
f) Recognize the primacy of hearing the voices of the poor and marginalized, and the groups that represent them, and tune our actions according to them.
g) Believe in equality of all people including various communities, gender, religions and so on, promote harmony, and refrain from any actions or statements that constitute communal/racial/gender prejudice. Incorporate this in choosing partners in India and the US.
Collaborations with partners in India
h) Respect the collaborations with partners in India including those established by other chapters in line with AID's vision. Communicate and interact with them in a respectful manner.
i) Particularly recognize the special role of our Saathis, Jeevansaathis, and other long-term collaborators such as Focus Villages, as they are our close connections with the grassroots and hence helpful in setting our direction.
Responsible Communication
j) Keep AID discussions, evaluation and internal materials such as project files, financial information, donor records with care and concern and when appropriate keep AID materials in confidence.
k) Not misrepresent or malign the work of AID or its partners in forums in and outside AID.
Conflict of Interest
l) Clearly state any existing conflict of interest and/or explain any manner conflict of interest can be percieved. "Conflict of interest" refers to involvement of a volunteer in a decision/action which results in personal benefit to self or a person/entity closely related (eg: project proposal from an uncle).
m) In clear or apparent conflict of interest, recuse myself from such decisions/positions keeping the best interest of AID uppermost in mind. - Not accept gift of significant value from persons or groups that AID supports in montetary or non-monetary ways, while being sensitive to social norms in specific setting and accept an appropriate level of hospitality.
