WSO Participates in BC Thanksgiving Food Drive

Surrey (September 15, 2011):  The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) and the Surrey Sikh community, along with the Church of Latter Day Saints of Surrey and the Multifaith Action Society are participating in the BC Thanksgiving Food Drive.

WSO, along with local Gurdwaras such as Gurdwara Dasmesh Darbar, Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, Canadian Singh Sabha Gurdwara, Gurdwara Dukh Nivaran Sahib, Gurdwara Brookside are collaborating for the first time with the Multifaith Action Society and Church of Latter Day Saints in Surrey to support the Surrey Food Bank.  The Surrey Food Bank serves 15,000 clients of which 42% are under the age of 18. The food bank receives 150 new clients per month.  

Initiated by the Church of Latter Day Saints in BC as an opportunity to give back to BC communities, the food drive is held in September as most food banks are low in food after the summer holidays.  The Sikh community sees the food drive as an opportunity to reach out to other Canadians and to put the Sikh traditions of seva (selfless service) and langar (free community kitchen) into practical effect.

Residents of Surrey are being asked to drop off donations from now until Sunday, September 18^th at any of the participating Gurdwaras.  Residents can also drop off donations on Saturday September 17^th from 9am to 12 pm at any of the Church of Latter Day Saints’ Temples in Surrey.

WSO  and the local Gurdwaras requires volunteers to help sort and box the donations at the various Gurdwaras over the weekend of September 17^th and 18^th. 

WSO President Prem Singh Vinning said, “helping the community is an important part of being Sikh and an important part of being Canadian.  Times are tough and more and more families rely on the Surrey Food Bank for help.  The Sikh community has been blessed and we want to share those blessings with our neighbours”.

Sukhvinder Kaur Vinning, Vice-President of the Multifaith Action Society said, “we’re pleased that this is a collaboration between all different communities including the Sikhs, Mormons and others for a great cause.  We would encourage everyone to donate generously and make this food drive a success.”

The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) is a non-profit organization with a mandate to promote and protect the interests of Canadian Sikhs as well as to promote and advocate for the protection of human rights for all individuals, irrespective of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, and social and economic status.

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For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering with the food drive please contact:

Gurdit Singh Rangi
WSO BC Vice-President
778-322-9920

[email protected]