More than 20 BAPS mandirs and centres across the UK joined in a nationwide effort to donate food and clothing to local food banks and homeless shelters. The drive stems from BAPS’s wider commitment to supporting and uplifting local communities, demonstrated by a proactive approach to addressing the growing issue of food insecurity and the lack of basic necessities.
The various mandirs and centres called upon worshippers and well-wishers to donate the most sought-after food items – including biscuits, coffee, tinned vegetables, tinned beans, vegetables, pasta, cereals and rice – to help families adversely impacted during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis around the UK.
The combined donation, equating to provisions for thousands of meals, has come at a crucial time when many individuals and families continue to face financial hardships exacerbated by a difficult winter period.
In London, Neasden Temple offered more than 1,000 kilograms of food to Brent Foodbank. The contribution will support the Foodbank’s ongoing efforts to assist vulnerable individuals and families in the local community.
Daniel Kennelly of The Trussell Trust’s Brent Foodbank said, “A huge thank you to Neasden Temple for their incredible donation to our Foodbank. We are so grateful for all the wonderful contributions to their Community Food Drive that will help to make a huge difference this winter.”
Spokespeople for various charities across the UK echoed these sentiments. Leicestershire YMCA explained that “the [donated] food will last a long time” and the [BAPS] community “is so generous” for their efforts, which will be warmly appreciated by its residents. Croydon Nightwatch in South London said that the “300 cans of food to feed homeless people in Croydon will feed many hungry people,” while Dunstable Foodbank thanked BAPS volunteers from Luton in a letter, writing: “Thank you so much for the generous collection of donations. It was very kind of you to support Dunstable Foodbank.”
More than 400 jackets and jumpers were also donated to Cancer Research, the British Heart Foundation and Oxfam.
Ambrish Limbachia, a lead BAPS volunteer from Preston, explained, “In the midst of adversity and uncertainty, we embrace the spirit of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj’s teachings on universal compassion and selfless service to help people of all faiths and backgrounds.
“We are grateful for this opportunity to continue supporting our charity partners across the country and thank them for the amazing work they do to fight poverty in the UK. Through our shared efforts, we hope we can continue to help those most in need during these challenging times.”