Free food for people in need

Published on 28 July 2020

Pictured: City of Swan Deputy Mayor and the Sikh Gurdwara Bennett Springs community.

More than 8,600 meals have been donated by the Bennett Springs Sikh temple since they started their free food for people in need program at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

When the program commenced in April, volunteers were delivering around 185 meals a week to service agencies across the City of Swan. This week over 400 meals were donated in one day.

Twice a week, 10 to 15 volunteers get together to cook and pack the meals, which takes about six hours per day.

Sikh Gurdwara Perth President Navtej Kaur Uppal said they feel fortunate for being part of this meals project with the help of City of Swan.

"Volunteer service and sharing of food are core beliefs of Sikh faith, and families from the WA Sikh community have been participating in this project in various ways," she said.

"We have had so many children from the community join in for volunteering for this project during the School holidays."

"Overall, being able to serve the ones in need is very satisfying for the whole Sikh community."

City of Swan Deputy Mayor David Lucas praised the efforts of the volunteers who are working hard to ensure no one goes hungry.

"I congratulate the Sikh community for this compassionate work to support some of the most vulnerable members of our community," he said.

The project has received funding from the City of Swan's Covid-19 Community Response and Relief Grants Scheme.

The grants are for essential solutions that support local resilience and community wellbeing during, through and beyond Covid-19 restrictions.

The meals are donated to agencies including Altone Youth Services, Blue Sky Community Group, Indigo Junction, Brockman House, Swan City Youth Service, Meerilinga, Midland Meals, Dreambuilders, Midvale Hub Parenting Service, Blood He Shed, Salvation Army, and Lockridge Seniors Association.