Inspiration
“Manas Kee Jat Sabhe Eke Paihchanbo”
This project is based on principle of equality of mankind. We need to create a society in which members live like a family, helping and supporting one another. This project has been initiated to provide support in the form of food and other essentials to the homeless in local communities, as well as to support local community members in need of financial aid.
Main Goal
To help local community members regardless of their religion, gender, ethnicity, caste, and race.
Three broad areas of focus for this project:
1. Homeless Langar Seva (Selfless Service of Food/Essentials)
2. Supporting local community members in need of support.
3. Support initiatives aimed to encourage kids to learn about their history and roots.
Funds would be utilized in the following ways to:
1. Provide food to local homeless communities.
2. Purchase and deliver warm clothes and other essentials to the local homeless community.
3. Help plan medical consultations for the underserved.
4. Encourage kids to learn about their history and their roots by providing recognition and awards for their accomplishments.
5. Cover funeral costs for those who cannot afford it.
6. Aid in temporarily paying rent, providing food, and/or supporting financially in other ways for those who have lost their primary source of income.
7. Hire resume editing services and provide preparation for job applications and interviews.
Overall, the aim is to help people get back on their feet again.
Progress Thus Far
Our Volunteers are already doing some of this seva in San Jose area and Los Angles Skid Row area. Plan is to continue in these cities and expand to other neighborhoods in the future. Initial focus will be in California and then expand to other cities and states.
We currently have 10 or so volunteers in San Jose and Los Angeles area that do this seva on a regular basis. Volunteers cook, pack food and distribute. We also collect money for other essentials and help distribute them on a very regular basis as well. Seva has been going on for last 7 years. LA Skid Row seva is done in partnership with United Sikhs organization
LA skid row and Oakland is full of homeless people and having worked with Prabh Aasra organization in Punjab for last 20 years motivated us to find seva opportunities and contribute to local community here as well. We also have so many opportunties in our local community to step up and help community members in need, whether providing support for rent, food or other essentials when someone losses their primary source of income.
Join US
Anyone who wants to volunteer or be part of these services can call us or meet us at regular meeting spot on any Saturday. Volunteer work/seva is typically done between 10am to 3pm on weekends.
Our regular weekly cost for food and other supplies is around $400 in each city and we distribute food and essentials to around 250-300 people every week.
The initial budget for this project would be around $30,000 per year.