L-R: Neeraj Walia, Nimmi Daula, Val Windsor, Kirsten Hermanson, Gyani Narinder Singh, Bill Sandhu, Jatinder Singh, Inderjit Dhillion
Thanks to Guru Nanak Food Bank’s Second Annual School Supply Drive, students in Delta are heading back to school with the tools they need to succeed in their studies.
Guru Nanak Food Bank, a leading community-based organization, organized a School Supply Drive on August 26 and 27 to support students in Delta and Surrey respectively. They encouraged community members to consider purchasing some extra school supplies while doing their back-to-school shopping. More than two thousand items were donated by generous community members.
On Wednesday, September 6, the school supply items, which included pencils, crayons, highlighters, erasers, scissors, notebooks, calculators and binders, were presented to Chair Val Windsor and Trustee Nimmi Daula of the Delta Board of Education. In the coming days and weeks, they will be distributed to students across the district as needed. In addition, Guru Nanak Food Bank collected $2,403.55, including donations from young community members eager to hand over their pocket money! Guru Nanak Food Bank will use this money to purchase other items for students, such as shoes, coats and backpacks, as needed.
“Given the current economic climate, we know how important it is to alleviate the financial burden on families and students. We were inspired to start this initiative last year for students in Surrey as we knew some families were finding it difficult to afford food, let alone school supplies,” said Gyani Narinder Singh, Founder and President, Guru Nanak Food Bank. “We were thrilled to be able to expand this initiative to help students in Delta this year. We look forward to growing this event and its impact even more next year, as we know that every notebook, pencil, and backpack carries the promise of a brighter future!”
“The drive was organized mainly by students in North Delta,” said Neeraj Walia, Director and Secretary, Guru Nanak Food Bank. “Over the last two months, 69 students volunteered full-time to make this initiative a success. In total, they gave more than 11,559 hours, with some even cancelling their vacation plans and trips to the PNE to volunteer! A huge thank you to our volunteers for being so generous with their time and efforts.”
“We are so thankful to the Guru Nanak Food Bank for initiating the School Supply Drive,” said Chair Val Windsor. “It’s heartwarming to see how many supplies were donated. Removing barriers to education in simple ways such as ensuring all kids have the resources they need to learn is essential if we want them to thrive and feel like they belong at school. I know the School Supply Drive will make a positive difference to the lives of the many students and parents on the receiving end of these supplies.”
“The generosity of the Guru Nanak Food Bank and local community in coming together to support students in Delta is incredible,” said Trustee Nimmi Daula. “We are seeing an increasing number of newcomer and refugee families in Delta. This initiative is so important as it will help give all children access to the same resources and support equitable educational opportunities.”
“We have already had some schools reach out in need of supplies for students, so we’ll be making sure we fulfill their requests as soon as possible,” said Kirsten Hermanson, District Manager, Prevention and School Wellness. “The supplies will be handed out discreetly to students for them to take home.”
About Guru Nanak Food Bank
Guru Nanak Food Bank is a community-based organization committed to providing essential support to individuals and families facing financial hardship. With a vision to create a hunger-free community, the food bank strives to serve with compassion and dignity, making a positive impact on the lives of those in need. Anyone who is interested in volunteering should visit www.gnfb.ca for more information and an application form.
