9 March 2016

The HAND Foundation Sponsors Various Norooz Persian New Year Events and Banners

Mountain View, CA- Today, the California-based HAND Foundation announced it will be underwriting local Bay Area events, such as Iranian Federated Women's Club Norooz 2016 event with Santa Clara Supervisor Dave Cortese on Tuesday, March 15th and San Francisco City Hall's Norooz 1395 celebration hosted by Iranican.com on Friday, March 25th.
In addition, The HAND Foundation will be solely sponsoring a 'Happy Norooz Persian New Year' banner on Menlo Park's Santa Cruz Avenue from March 7-14 and then on Palo Alto's University Avenue (at Alma Street) March 14-28 to promote and celebrate the Persian New Year.
"Norooz is a very special time for me and my family. It is a chance to welcome Spring and a new start," said Noosheen Hashemi, co-founder and President of The HAND Foundation. "We are happy to sponsor these events and promote the Norooz with the broader community." Ms. Hashemi is also executive producing Spelling Bee- A PSA, starring comedian Maz Jobrani, with Mirmont Pictures. The short-film is about the Iranian-American community's different spellings of Norooz and how using the phonetically correct NOROOZ spelling is easier to learn. The short-film is set to be released on March 13th.
Events:
  • Iranian Federated Women's Club Norooz 2016 event: 5:30pm to 9:30pm Tuesday, March 15th at the James P. McEntee, Sr. Civic Center Plaza 70 W Hedding Street in San Jose. It is free to the public.
About Norooz:
The Persian New Year, or Norooz, coincides with the Vernal Equinox when spring starts in the northern hemisphere. This year, it is expected to happen on Saturday, March 19th at 21:32:12 (PST). On the eve of the last Wednesday of the year, or Chahar Shanbeh Soori, families gather around a fire and jump over the flames hoping for enlightenment and happiness throughout the coming year. At countdown, family members gather around a "Haft Seen," a table arrangement of seven items all starting with 'S' and each symbolizing a coveted attainment: seeb (apple) for beauty and health, serkeh (vinegar) for old age and patience, seer (garlic) for medicine, senjed (dried oleaster fruit) symbolizing love, samanu (sweet wheat germ) pudding for affluence, sabzeh (bean or grain sprouts) for rebirth and somaagh (sumac) illustrating the red color of sunrise. On the table, there are also eggs for fertility, gold fish for life, mirror for light, candles for warmth, coins for prosperity, sweets for celebration and, so on. It is customary to clean the house, wear new clothes, give gifts to younger family members, pay respect to elders by visiting them, and eat a celebratory meal. Norooz festivities continue for 13 days and conclude with Sizdeh Bedar, where families spend the day in nature and acknowledge the birth of a new year.
About The HAND Foundation:
Since 2003, The HAND Foundation has been an advisory, advocacy and grant-making organization dedicated to building better communities by enabling the growth and advancement of social entrepreneurs and enterprising non-profits.

        

  

 

26 May 2015

Noosheen Hashemi honored at the World Affairs Council's Global Actors | Global Reach | Global Impact Awards Dinner

Each year the World Affairs Council and its Global Philanthropy Forum honor leaders who are significantly influencing the world in which we live, work and learn at its annual Awards Dinner. The evening is known for bringing together luminary thought, business, philanthropic, civic and community leaders as well as entrepreneurs from San Francisco, Silicon Valley and beyond.

  

 

31 October 2014

Noosheen Hashemi Interview at The IAAB Conference

Interview on the Iranian diaspora and community organizing with Noosheen Hashemi at The IAAB Conference on the Iranian Diaspora.

  

 

13 August 2013

Noosheen Hashemi among top 50 philanthropists in Bay Area

Recognizing her work as the President of The HAND Foundation, Noosheen Hashemi, is named one of Gentry Magazine's top 50 philanthropists in their annual list of leading philanthropists in San Francisco, the Peninsula and Silicon Valley.

  

 

10 May 2014

Celebrating Girls, Tea & Conversation with First Lady Anita Lee and Noosheen Hashemi

"Celebrating Girls Who One Day Will Influence the World." An informal conversation with girls, 9-12 years old (the Tweens!), sharing their dreams, developing their sense of self on topics about STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics). 

  

 

17 March 2013

Noosheen Hashemi Honors Women's Rights

Atherton philanthropist Noosheen Hashemi, a former Oracle Corp. vice president, likes nothing more than to get things done, one reason her friends are cautious in accepting party invitations, which often come with suggested topics for chitchat and grant making. True to form, she invited 50 women to lunch (salad, branzino and Sauvignon Blanc) at the Fairmont Hotel penthouse on March 8 for her 50th birthday and a discussion of women's rights and achievements.

Photo: Nancy Pelosi and domestic violence activist Esta Soler (pictured to the left and right of Hashemi). (Photographer: David Washburn)

  

 

31 January 2013

Girl Scouts Honor Noosheen Hashemi, Padmasree Warrior Leaders in Global Social Impact, Technology with Forever Green Leadership Award

Panel discussion featuring, from left, ABC 7 SF and Girl Scout Alumna Carolyn Johnson, Lean In's Sheryl Sandberg, and our Girl Scouts of Northern California Forever Green Leadership Awardees, Cisco's Padmasree Warrior and The Hand Foundation's Noosheen Hashemi.

  

 

8 June 2011

Secretary’s Global Diaspora Forum | Noosheen Hashemi | The HAND Foundation

Noosheen shares the story of PARSA — inspiration, motivation, and impact— at the U.S. Secretary's Global Diaspora Forum, May 17-19, 2011.

  

 

8 March 2009

Spotlight: Noosheen Hashemi, HAND Foundation

An interview with the San Francisco Business Journal.

  

 

9 April 2008

Noosheen Hashemi presents The Case for Iran at the Global Philanthropy Forum

Diplomacy, Diasporas, and the Case for Iran: Noosheen Hashemi speaks on the diplomacy challenges between the US and Iran and their effect on diaspora communities. Noosheen Hashemi presents The Case for Iran at the Global Philanthropy Forum in 2008: A Conversation between Elders and Emerging Leaders concerning human security, human rights, and the shared responsibility to protect.