The House of Onions is a 501(c)(3) foundation conceived by Father Yeruva Lourdu Marreddy as a young Priest in the Diocese of Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is a home for young boys orphaned by the HIV/AIDs virus. As in many low-income nations around the world, HIV/AIDs is a full blown epidemic and many youngsters, through no fault of their own find themselves with the virus or simply orphaned by this disease. My name is Carl Dye, Co-founder along with Father Marreddy and President of the Board of Directors fund raising part of the operation in the United States.
Father Marreddy came into the little Catholic Parish in Concho, AZ in November 2010 totally unprepared for any kind of cool, much less cold weather. And no, Arizona at 6300 feet gets quite cold. Along with a few fellow Knights of Columbus, my wife and I took Father YL (as he liked to be called) under our wings. And while his missionary work lasted but 12 months, Father became a part of many Concho families. He was a very special Priest to all of us and remains so 12 years later! In late 2013, I received a phone call from Father YL who was preparing his return to India following another missionary assignment in Italy asking if my wife and I would kindly sponsor him for a 10-day visit in Arizona to see old friends before a final move back to India. Of course, we said yes, and this trip kicked off the beginnings of the House of Onions.
In mid 2014, I was able to assemble a Board of Directors with specialties in Law, Construction, Finance, Business Management, IT and Medical. Our first website went online December 24, 2014. It was a very exciting Christmas! A review of our website shows through pictures, videos, and stories just how far we have come in eight years. So why then have I relocated the foundation to Delaware is probably your big question?
I lost my wife of 53 years in 2019 due to Cancer and had a personal need to physically relocate. Rules say that the President must reside in the state the filing is made. I have sold all properties in Arizona and am a full time resident of Delaware and have completed the move of our program to Delaware to position for the future. At 80, I am looking to find my replacement and an overall younger Board (10 to 12 new members). We also need new donors and Delaware’s population of just less than one million in a land mass 1/3rd the size of Apache County’s 50,000 residents appears to be a major advantage. While the House of Onions is run by Priests and Sisters, the children represent the total population of India. Looking to further educate, train and communicate with anyone interested.
Please reach out for more information.