Thousands of Santa Clara County residents celebrate Diwali every fall by creating colorful rangoli designs and eating traditional dishes with family. One local group takes the holiday spirit a step further by collecting thousands of pounds of food for those who need it most.
The Bay Area chapter of Sewa Diwali, part of national nonprofit Sewa International, is gathering nonperishable food donations until Nov. 10 for local food banks. The food drive is part of an annual tradition more than 100 volunteers participate in countywide to fight hunger near Diwali. The celebration, recently recognized by Gov. Gavin Newsom as a state holiday, is observed for five days by people practicing Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism. It falls between Oct. 18 and 23 this year, during Hindu American Awareness and Appreciation Month.
Sewa Diwali promotes selfless service during Diwali as a Hindu tenet. Last year, it collected and donated 37,500 pounds of food to pantries in cities in the Central Valley and Bay Area where many South Asian residents live, including Santa Clara, San Jose, Sunnyvale and Cupertino. Organizers and volunteers said the effort gives back to the community while strengthening cultural pride.
Mahadesha Swamy, who leads the Bay Area teams as a national coordinator, said he participates for a reason — he knew what hunger was growing up and went without meals.
“By the grace of God, I am able to provide to my family and to provide to the community I am living in,” he told San José Spotlight. “Whatever help I can do… if I’m able to reduce that feeling of hunger in somebody, I’d be very happy to do that.”
The Bay Area chapter’s work has grown. When it first started in 2019, volunteers collected 2,000 items to donate to one food pantry. The nonprofit now donates food to more than 50 organizations, including Sunnyvale Community Services and Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, which serves one in six residents in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.
Sunnyvale Community Services Executive Director Marie Bernard said support from local groups is more important than ever with today’s political climate. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known as CalFresh in California, faces billions of dollars in cuts over the next decade under federal bill H.R. 1. The federal government shutdown, which has been ongoing for three weeks, could delay food benefits for millions across the state if it’s not resolved by Thursday.
Bernard said it’s encouraging to see different cultural communities step up to fill the urgent need.
“Some of (the South Asian community) are our clients, and some of them are our donors. It’s one big community here in Silicon Valley,” she told San José Spotlight. “This gives me hope that our community sees diversity as a strength, and sees each other in our neighbors, which is just a blessing that we have here.”
The nonprofit’s work goes beyond giving back. Sewa Diwali volunteers often leave handwritten notes in food packages to uplift residents in need. They also gather to make sandwiches for homeless residents.
Santa Clara resident Neetu Garg, who represents Shiv Durga Temple of Bay Area, said giving back is vital for the Hindu American community. Her temple collects up to 200 pounds of food annually.
“It helps the diaspora to connect with the community where they live,” she told San José Spotlight. “It’s what we are teaching our children as well, so it’s a great honor for us to have this food drive.”
The effort has gotten the attention of local officials.
District 1 Santa Clara Councilmember Albert Gonzalez appreciates Sewa Diwali’s service as someone who’s seen the need for affordable food firsthand in his time as a former Santa Clara Unified School District board member. He said Sewa Diwali’s work needs to be acknowledged, with the Santa Clara City Council unanimously recognizing October as Hindu American Awareness and Appreciation Month.
“It’s always nice when you have different cultures expressing some of their festive days, and really trying to, not only outreach to others (about) the culture, but also giving back,” he told San José Spotlight.
Swamy looks forward to giving back each year and wants to spread the generosity.
“(Diwali) is a festival of light, and it gives a joy,” he said. “So that light, we wanted to give it to others also.”
Contact Annalise Freimarck at [email protected] or follow @annalise_ellen on X.
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