ALAMEDA – A number of East Bay volunteers have been busy handing out donations to native meals banks in current weeks.
The donations got here from their annual Diwali meals drive, which collected greater than four,200 kilos of meals for Alameda County organizations.
The Sewa Diwali Nationwide Meals Drive is an annual occasion organized by organizations rooted in Indic cultures throughout the nation. Diwali, or the Competition of Lights, is an Indian celebration that passed off over the last week of October. From the beginning of the pageant by way of the top of November, volunteers from the Alameda County Marketing campaign Chapter have been busy knocking on doorways and gathering donations for these in want.
The volunteers collected greater than four,200 kilos of meals and have spent the previous a number of weeks distributing the gadgets to nonprofit organizations just like the Alameda County Group Meals Financial institution and the Tri-Metropolis Volunteer Meals Financial institution in Fremont. Donations have been additionally made to Burmese refugees in Oakland and to a number of households with kids in native colleges.
“Folks do not understand it, however typically we will reside in a cocoon. The Bay Space is likely one of the costliest areas with a few of the highest wages, and we frequently do not take into consideration those that are hungry,” stated Rajesh Konanganparambath, Alameda County coordinator for the Sewa Diwali meals drive.
The marketing campaign has been working within the county for greater than 4 years and greater than 70 volunteers have signed as much as take part in 2022.
“This yr numerous center and highschool college students participated, which was nice,” stated Konanganparambath.
“When the children began visiting the meals banks and came upon that college students like them wanted assist, it was actually eye-opening. Even for me, I have been doing this for the final 4 years and the demand for meals banks nonetheless amazes me.”
Konanganparambath stated the marketing campaign wouldn’t have been profitable with out the help of some explicit younger volunteers.
“Gautham Nair and Atharv Mishra took the initiative to go to nearly each home of their space to gather donations, and Gayathri Nair, Kethav Shivshankar and Amarnath Sarkar collected round 600 kilos of meals,” he stated.
“Gautham additionally labored together with his college, Thornton Junior Excessive in Fremont, to arrange meals distributions to 20 households in want.”
Nationwide, the 2022 Sewa Diwali Meals Drive donated greater than 630,000 kilos of meals to greater than 200 organizations in 32 completely different states. Since its inception in 2018, the undertaking has donated practically 1.5 million kilos of meals throughout the nation.
“Sewa Diwali continues to carry folks collectively for the common good,” Sewa Diwali nationwide coordinator Anil Kothari stated in a press release.
“The illuminating spirit of Diwali shone to light up the lives of these in want, due to our charitable companions, communities and people throughout the nation.”