In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sikh community in Sydney, Australia organized a food donation program for the elders who were stuck at their homes under self-isolation. They contributed around 4,000 Australian dollars to the initiative with the intent to serve those in need.
Lending a helping hand in harsh times
As reported in March 2020, the group ‘Turbans of Australia’ donated more than 1.5 tonnes of food to Sydney people who were unable to purchase regularly for nonperishable staples. Mr. Amar Singh, a volunteer truck driver, said that while preference was being given to the elderly, the disabled, and those at greater risk of severe symptoms from coronavirus, the organization would assist anyone who called for help. He further added, “ The health directive of the mandatory 14-day self-isolation has left many people unable to provide for themselves. We don’t want anyone to miss out on essentials.”
Mr. Amar Singh also informed that he and the other members of the volunteer force have full-time jobs, so they help people in their spare time, with some members volunteering up to 25 hours of their time.
Serving home-cooked meals
During the pandemic, ‘Sikh Volunteers of Australia’, a similar Sikh organization based in Melbourne, delivered 1,000 home-cooked meals to elderly people and others who were unable to go grocery shopping, primarily in the city's south-eastern districts. The group's vice-president, Marpreet Singh, said that his organization, which runs a free food for the homeless programme twice a week, would work nonstop for the following two weeks as the 14-day isolation period wore off and it became evident that individuals were in desperate need of food.
Mr Marpreet said, “ (It’s mostly) vulnerable people who are worried about the virus or people having trouble getting food at the supermarket, and disabled, homeless, and single parents who are looking after their kids and can’t go out,”
Sikhs come together to serve humanity
No matter where they are in the world, Sikhs want to lend a hand. It is one of the most important tenets of Sikhism, Sewa or selflessly serving others, that encourages the Sikh community across the world to lend a helping hand in times of need. More than 30,000 meals were made and delivered in New York by the Sikh Center of New York, this time for Americans who were caught in self-isolation.
In the mid of the pandemic, food preparation was done in tandem with the social distancing and sanitization protocols. Since 30 times more food was handled in New York than in Melbourne, strict hygiene protocols were implemented, including the use of gloves and masks, social distancing, and equipment and surface sterilization.
In the same manner, as in Australia, the food packages were primarily distributed to people who were particularly susceptible to the coronavirus, such as the elderly and the disabled. The volunteer drivers were also subjected to a proper medical exam to make sure they are free of the virus. Throughout the food drive, strict measures were taken to ensure that all the people serving, and receiving food were in good health.
Meals full of nutrition and love
While Sikhism is not totally vegetarian, there is a segment of their faith that consumes only plant-based diets. Therefore, the meals usually consist of rice, lentils, and dried fruits. According to a news source, various Sikh organisations on the east and west coasts, as well as in the middle, were ready to collaborate with government agencies to help deliver food or medicine to community members in need.
Jathedar Harpreet Singh, Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the spiritual leader of the Sikh community, said, “We have requested gurudwaras across the country and the world to especially reach out to the stranded Indian students and provide them meals and shelter, which will give relief to many worried parents back in India,”
The Sikh community has been creating waves across the globe with its relentless social service, especially in critical situations. During the pandemic, the strict social-distancing rules forbade people from moving around and even led to people lacking money for buying food. In such times, the Sikh community in India, and across the world came together to serve meals to those in need. They prepared home-cooked meals filled with nutrition and flavor and home-delivered them to the elderly, disabled, sick, and anyone who sought their help. This tradition of serving meals has been long entrenched in the Sikh tradition and continues to grow stronger as time passes by.