During this holiday season, the challenges of COVID-19 have been felt by many. The loss of income and job stability has led to “food insecurity” and the loss of access to nutritious food. In the spirit of the holiday season, BAPS Charities helped organize a food giveaway event to provide support to those impacted within the Southern California community.
BAPS Charities along with Congresswoman-elect Young Kim’s office hosted a drive-up food distribution on December 28, 2020. While appropriately following social distancing and safety guidelines, volunteers contributed their time and effort to distribute 500 boxes of nutritious food. The boxes contained raw & canned foods, fresh produce, bread, milk, and many other essentials.
“Through this food giveaway, we are trying to help families and the community during this time. We know there are a lot of families in need, especially as 2020 has been a challenging year for all of us. We recognize that there are people in need and I am blessed that we are able to partner with BAPS Charities to give away fresh produce, food, and milk. Even though the rain and hail is coming down – rain or shine, we are here to spread the love to everyone,” said Congresswoman-elect Young Kim.
As a part of a month-long focus on food insecurity perpetuated by the pandemic, BAPS Charities in Los Angeles mobilized food donations to homeless shelters, food banks, and low-income communities. BAPS Charities thanks all of the volunteers and donors of diverse ages and backgrounds who came together to help the community.
The event was met with unusual weather for sunny Southern California as there was a thunderstorm during the hours of the event, it even hailed at one point. Aashi Patel, a BAPS Charities volunteer, spoke of everyone’s determination and her drive to continue regardless of the weather: “No one stopped or thought twice about what we were going to do. The food drive was going to go on, rain or shine. My hands were freezing from handling the icy cold milk jugs in the thunderstorm, but my heart was warm from seeing the grateful faces picking up the care packages and food. The pandemic has been hard on some individuals, especially in regards to food insecurity. I was deeply humbled to be able to give back and support the community during this difficult time.”
In the midst of this holiday season, BAPS Charities aims to consistently provide all types of assistance for those struggling in these especially difficult times. Working alongside members of the community who are in need, BAPS Charities continues its mission to impact and uplift individuals and communities for the better.
