by SS Guru Simran Kaur Khalsa, Espanola, New Mexico
2024 (Second Quarter)
New Mexico is #2 in child hunger in the nation. Food4KidsNM began as a volunteer program to serve the elementary school children of Northern New Mexico who do not get enough (or any) food to eat at home on the weekends. In 2009 it became a part of our Children’s program here at Hacienda de Guru Ram Das in Espanola.
The Guru is definitely running the show, so to speak. During COVID many changes happened with our program.
- People from the various offices used to gather once a month to help pack the 500 bags. Through COVID they could no longer come together.
- Due to the pandemic, the schools were doing distance learning. This made it impossible for us to get the bags through the school system to the students.
- Many sangat members who used to volunteer regularly are now part of an aging population, with some health limitations.
- To top it off, Akal Security, which had been our major donor for years, began to close down.
And I started to wonder what to do … But then our Guru, Guru Ram Das, stepped in once again. My go-to prayer was always: “Guru Ram Das, if you want those children to have food to eat on the weekend, then you have to make it happen. I have done all I can do at this time.”
Since we had shared our program during the Khalsa Council meetings here in Espanola, others were inspired to start something similar. The sangats in Phoenix, Arizona and Virginia began similar programs. Which is so very inspiring to me.
During the pandemic, the local Espanola school board realized the need and decided to set up food pantries in their elementary schools. Plus, a program in another school district started a similar food pantry in two other schools we were serving.
Currently our program is very small—only two smaller schools. But that is okay as long as all the children have access to food by some means.
Putting it all together: our program inspired others to step up. What a beautiful thing to see this materialized!
Humbly yours,
Sardarni Sahiba Guru Simran Kaur Khalsa
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
SS Guru Simran Kaur Khalsa is an ordained Sikh Dharma Minister. She trained as a Red Cross local responder and has been serving with the Red Cross as a volunteer since 2010 and is currently serving as the supervisor for the Rio Arriba County American Red Cross. As a Minister, she began the Food for Kids program in Espanola as part of her participation in the Journey into the Heart of Sikh Dharma course. The Espanola sangat helps to provide weekly food bags to elementary school children. Guru Simran Kaur has served as the custodian of the Siri Singh Sahib’s Ranch in Espanola for many years. She is also a volunteer with the Big Brothers and Big Sisters and is on the board of the Rio Arriba Adult Literacy Program.
