On a chilly Saturday afternoon, volunteers big and small came together at Santa Clarita Grocery to unload bountiful boxes of food to help those in need, all in the spirit of Diwali. On Saturday, Santa Clarita Grocery collaborated with Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) for the Sewa Diwali food drive just in time for the holidays. Patrons were called to drive up their cars as child volunteers unloaded and organized the donated food. HSS is a non-profit organization of volunteers serving the Hindu American community, with a focus on the values of Hindu Dharma. With more than 220 branches in the US, a way to provide for the community is to participate in food drives across the US, with Diwali in mind. This year, HSS chose Santa Clarita Grocery to host its “Sewa Diwali” food drive to support families in need and bring joy during the holiday season, drawing inspiration from the Hindu festival of lights. The food drive’s event coordinator explained the origins of the name “Sewa Diwali,” an initiative by Dharmic communities, individuals and organizations like Yoga, Spiritual, Hindu/Buddhist/Sikh/Jain centers, Temples, Gurudwaras, Linguistic and Indian socio-cultural organizations who believe in the Sewa Dharma, i. e., “Service to Humanity is Service to Divinity.” Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, a five-day celebration of the triumph of good over evil, often falling on a date close to other autumnal holidays around the world. During the food drive, community members gave speeches detailing their efforts to better the community and brighten the darkening days of fall. “Donating food is not just about helping people. It’s about connecting one another,” said Anagha Vadrevu, one of the student volunteers. Local resident Dr. Aakash Ahuja praised the hard work being done to benefit the Santa Clarita Valley. “Acts like this strengthen the fabric of our community and teach our youth what true service looks like,” Dr. Ahuja said. “Seeing the students, the family members and volunteers come together, packing groceries and giving their time and energy, reflects the best of Santa Clarita’s spirit.” The co-founder of Santa Clarita Grocery, Bradley Grose, ended the event with a message of gratitude. “It’s a pleasure to partner with organizations that have a kindred spirit, and then this, you have no idea where these foods are going to, but when they sit down, they’re going to count their blessings, and it was through others that came from their hearts,” Grose said. For more information on upcoming food drives and ways to donate, check out the Santa Clarita Grocery website HERE. Sponsored Articles Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or send an email to news@hometownstation. com. Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking KHTS Santa Clarita News Alerts delivered right to your inbox. Report a typo or error, email Corrections@hometownstation. com.
https://www.hometownstation.com/santa-clarita-news/community-news/sewa-diwali-food-drive-brings-hss-volunteers-to-santa-clarita-grocery-572954
Sewa Diwali Food Drive Brings HSS Volunteers To Santa Clarita Grocery
