Alameda : The Sewa Diwali Food Drive Donates 4200 lbs of food locally

The Sewa Diwali Food Drive is an annual food drive organized by a collection of organizations and individuals rooted in Indic values from all over the US. The food drive happens around the Hindu festival of Diwali with more than 200+ partner organizations and 2000+ volunteers. This year nationally we were able to collect more than 630600 lbs of food that was delivered to our neighbors in need. In its fifth year now, Sewa Diwali continues to bring people closer together through the selfless act of giving (Sewa).

The need for food in our communities is magnified this year due to the persistent inflation and general high cost of living in the Bay Area. The Alameda County team had collected 4200+ lbs of food locally that was distributed to various organizations like the Alameda County Food Bank, Tri-Valley Volunteers Fremont, Burmese Refugee community in Oakland, and to many families in need directly through our local schools like Thornton Junior High School, Forest Park Elementary & Half Moon Bay High School.

In the Indic traditions, Sewa plays a crucial role in an individual’s life and shone through in the hundreds of volunteers of all ages who came together to collect food for and distribute it to those in their communities in need. It was heartening this year to see the enthusiastic participation of the youth in our community, many of whom not only went around their neighborhood to collect food but also worked with their schools to help the families of their fellow students in need.

This event would not have been such a great success with out the hard work and commitment of our local partner organizations like the Festival Of Globe (FOG) & Fremont Hindu Temple, Veerashaiva Samaja of North America, University Of Silicon Andhra, The Odisha Society Of The Americas California Chapter, Jain Center Northern California, Sri Siddhi Vinayaka Cultural Center Temple Fremont, Nair Service Society Of California & Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA .

With Sewa Diwali we hope to spread the light of care and kindness to those in need in our community this year and in years to come.