Kuwarjeet Singh: Students traverse downtown Toronto, giving care packages to the homeless

Credit: (Kuwarjeet Singh/Sikh Journalist)

Written By: Kuwarjeet Singh Arora

On Dec. 27, hundreds of students from Brampton and Scarbrough gathered around as a collective group to give out 300 care packages to the needy and the homeless in Toronto Downtown.

The fifth annual Toronto Downtown Seva Initiative is organized by the volunteers of Experience Sikhi Organization.

This event is structured to spread warmth, learn about the Sikh history, and learn how to do selfless work. 

Why did they give out care packages on 27th December?

Guru Gobind Singh Ji is the tenth guru (teacher) of the Sikhs. 

His younger two sons were bricked alive, before this event they had to live in a Thanda Burj (cold room with no accessories to keep them warm) with their grandma for around three days. 

This event is organized to give out warmth to the needy, as learning from history nobody should go through cold room experience again be thankful for what they have and be satisfied with this life. 

The care packages contained food, clothing, toiletries and all the basic human necessities. 

Overall, the annual initiative provides students with the chance to engage and learn about the history of this very day, be thankful and satisfied with what they have, while doing selfless service and being part of collective change in society.

My experience

It was an event with a sensation to bring back humanity and give people what is a basic human need by just spreading the warmth of happiness. 

It was a great experience, I had fun at the same time came to a realization of being thankful for everything.

I was one of the group leaders for a group of 16.

It made people’s day to get food and accessories to survive in cold. It was an experience where we went as strangers and came back as a connected group of friends. 

This also goes back to the concept of Sarbat Da Bhala, meaning blessings for everyone, or may everyone prosper. This is a final term of a Sikh prayer. 

My experience as a photographer and a group leader was great, I learned more about the issues of homelessness in Downtown Toronto while experiencing and doing acts of kindness. 

Overall, the annual initiative provides students with the chance to engage and learn about the history of this very day, be thankful and satisfied with what they and while doing selfless service and join in as a big collective group of change in society.