Community Action for Rural Development (CARD) was founded by Mr. P.Vedachalam, Mrs. S. R. Jaya and other friends on 7th October 1982 and it was officially registered as a Society at District Registrar Office, Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu, under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act 27 of 1975 on 14th December 1982. CARD was also registered with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) 2010. CARD was also registered u/s 12A and 80G of the Income Tax Act 1961. CARD established its headquarters at Samathuvapuram, Pulivalam Post, Thirumayam Taluk, Pudukkottai District, Tamil Nadu, India. CARD started functioning immediately after the registration of the organization
CARD established an Industrial School in the name of ” Samathuvapuram Industrial School” at Samathuvapuram in Pudukkottai District
CARD has implemented environment development projects such as wastelands development, construction of biogas plants and smokeless chulas from the inception of the organisation.
CARD had applied to the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India for grant-in-aid for setting up of Swadhar Shelter Home for Women at Pudukkottai
Two toilet blocks were constructed by CARD at Sita Rajaram Public School, Muthu Nagar, Hiraniyamangalam Mettupatti, Kulithalai Taluk, Karur District.