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Sikh Volunteers Make 30,000 Free Home-Cooked Meals for Americans in Self-Isolation

By Emma Taggart on March 30, 2020

The Sikh Center of New York has been doing what it can to spread love and kindness during the current COVID-19 crisis. (For those unfamiliar with Sikhism, it’s a religion that was founded in Northern India in the fifteenth century. The Sikhs believe in equality, respect for others, and community service.) The members of The Sikh Center were approached by the New York Mayor's office and asked to prepare more than 30,000 home-cooked meals for vulnerable Americans who are currently self-isolating, and they were more than willing to help.

Vegetarian meals that include nutritious ingredients such as beans, lentils, rice, and dried fruits were cooked, placed into containers, and delivered to the elderly and people with underlying health conditions. Dr. Pritpal Singh, coordinator of the American Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee says, “Once we heard people were having a problem with food when they go shopping, they can't find food in the shopping center, then we started reaching out to people in our personal capacity in the Bay Area (San Francisco).”

And to make sure they’re doing their best to serve people in need, the Sikh volunteers are also practicing social distancing measures and good food hygiene. “The meals were prepared on Sunday and were packaged and loaded for delivery,” Himat Singh, coordinator of the American Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee reveals. “The distribution starts on Monday in the morning, by local authorities. Volunteers who prepared and packaged the meal had a medical check and have been approved by physicians and health authorities.”

This is a fantastic example of how communities can come together to help those who need it during this trying time.