Diwali Basket Brigade is back with an even bigger drive to feed vulnerable families in time for the festival of lights, which falls on October 31 this year.
The charitable initiative is organised by England-registered charity Diwali Foundation, established in 2018. The objective is to provide food hampers to socially deprived and vulnerable households from all faiths and backgrounds across the UK.
“Through our initiative, now in its seventh year, we have created a unique community-focused event which provides volunteers the opportunity to give back to those in need,” the charity said in a statement.
Founded by Deepak Parekh, Diwali Basket Brigade will be spread across four cities in the UK this year – Birmingham, London, Manchester and Leicester. Its aim is to provide a record 5,000 food hampers to families and individuals experiencing food insecurity and poverty.
“Diwali Basket Brigade is our small collective effort to support and spread the message of hope, happiness, and giving at Diwali,” said the Diwali Foundation team.
The key highlights of this seven-year-long drive include:
Partnering with over 40 foodbanks and charities to reach those most in need
100% volunteer led and run, funded entirely by donations
Sharing the spirit of Diwali with the community of all faiths and backgrounds
Providing 14,000+ hampers to date, feeding over 57,000 people
“Diwali is symbolic for multiple faiths with a core message of ‘light triumphing over darkness’ and the ‘victory of good over evil’. It is also a time for family and friends to come together, share joy whilst emphasising the importance of giving back, unity and strong community cohesion, all of which the charity embodies,” the charity added.
This year’s volunteer-led packing events will be held on Saturday October 26 in Birmingham and London and on Sunday October 27 in Manchester and Leicester.
The hampers cost £10 each and contain essential non-perishable food items, toiletries such as toothpaste and also a handmade Diwali card, with each gift bag designed to spread the message of hope, love and giving on Diwali. All communities across the UK are invited to be a part of this inspiring mission through the online Just Giving page and/or by joining in as a volunteer.
Last year, 4,250 hampers were packed and distributed bringing the total to 13,370 since inception. Any donations received, even after the event date, are used to support poverty and food-related charitable causes.
MORE LIKE THIS…