Festival of giving: Indian community donates thousands of kilos of groceries to those in need this Diwali

As part of an annual Diwali initiative, hundreds of volunteers from Australia’s Indian community came together this year to collect and donate thousands of kilograms of grocery hampers, offering essential support to vulnerable families.

The "Sewa Diwali" project was established in Western Australia in 2023 and has rapidly expanded its reach nationwide within just a year.

"Today, we have over 500 volunteers across the country supporting our mission, which aims to assist thousands of individuals and families in need," said the project leader.

In Australia, the team collaborates with more than 100 charities to donate groceries.

Volunteers of Sewa Diwali initiative in Australia. iwali Spirit Shines Bright as Community Collects Thousands of Kilos of Groceries for Donation" Credit: Supplied

Vikrant Thakur, one of the project leader in Melbourne, explained that each organisation collects items that have been specified in the brochure.

"Our donation packages include non-perishable items such as cereals, pasta, and rice," he noted.

He says "the initiative embodies the spirit of Diwali, a festival that symbolises hope and the importance of helping one another—values that are central to our mission."

Sewa Diwali Western Australia team with collected grocery donations. Credit: Sewa Diwali Australia Facebook page

During this year's Diwali celebrations, the project made a significant donation of over 5,000 kilograms of groceries, which were provided to Foodbank in Victoria.

Foodbank Victoria, an independent nonprofit organization that collects and distributes nutritious food to community groups throughout the state, expressed gratitude to the community for their donations, emphasising that this support will significantly aid Victorians currently facing food insecurity.

Vikramaditya Shakha and Arya Pratinidhi Sabha in Queensland celebrated Diwali by donating groceries to support the people in need. Credit: Credit: Sewa Diwali Australia Facebook page

"The community showed up in large numbers to help unpack vehicles and share in the joy of the drop-off event. Their commitment to fostering togetherness and sewa (selfless giving) for the betterment of society was truly evident today," they added in a post on Facebook.

"In Australia, our volunteers came together to collect over 20,000 kilograms of essential items," Vikrant further claimed.

The initiative has received commendation from federal Labor MP Cassandra Fernando, who remarked, "Sewa Diwali is an inspiring initiative that beautifully embodies the spirit of community and service upheld by Australia’s Hindu community."

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