Audio Stories Reports

Those Who Help: Langar Aid


Reported by John

Published on Thursday, June 13th, 2024

Cost of living Service Delivery
Audio Stories Reports

Those Who Help: Langar Aid


Written by John

Published on Thursday, June 13th, 2024

Cost of living

Service Delivery

This is the fourth part of the Those Who Help series, the previous parts can be found here, here and here

 

Hello, everyone. It’s John Chico yet again. So, this is the continuation of the series, Those Who Help, in which I talk about the people, groups, and organisations I know help people facing economic issues such as homelessness. In this fourth volume, I will be talking about Langar Aid, which provides social services to people facing homelessness around the world.

I have personally used the services of Langar Aid Coventry when I do not have any food to eat. They provide vegetarian meals and food products that can be eaten and prepared in an abode for those that are facing homelessness and hunger. Other than myself, the majority of people that are facing homelessness, and now the effects of cost of living, use or have used the services of Langar Aid. They provide meals and food products from 5:30 PM to 07:00 PM, from Sunday to Friday, which have helped many people many times. I know that without them, the homeless and hungry would be in a worse situation. But on that note, let me tell you about the help Langar Aid provides.

Who are they?

Langar Aid is a humanitarian organisation based in the UK, dedicated to providing food and supporting individuals facing homelessness and food insecurity.

Rooted in the Sikh principle of langar, which means community kitchen, Langar Aid serves free vegetarian meals to anyone in need, regardless of their background and circumstances. The organisation operates under the umbrella of Khalsa Aid, an international NGO that provides humanitarian aid in disaster areas and civil conflict zones.

What do they do?

Langar Aid operates community kitchens that prepare and distribute free or vegetarian meals to those in need. In addition to meal distribution, they provide food parcels containing essential groceries and food items that can be prepared at home. Their services extend beyond food, offering support and assistance to homeless individuals, including hygiene kits, warm clothing, and blankets. Langar Aid also organises various community outreach programmes and collaborates with other local charities to maximise their impact.

Who do they help?

Langar Aid helps a wide range of individuals, primarily focusing on those facing homelessness, full insecurity, and financial hardship. This includes rough sleepers, low-income families, refugees, and asylum seekers. By providing essential resources, Langar Aid supports the most vulnerable members of society, ensuring they have access to nutritious food and basic necessities.

What is their impact?

The impact of Langar Aid is profound as they provide thousands of meals each week to individuals who might otherwise go hungry. Their presence in Coventry and other areas has been a lifeline for many, especially during the current cost of living crisis. By addressing immediate food needs, Langar Aid helps to alleviate the stress and uncertainty that comes with food insecurity. Additionally, their holistic approach to support helps improve the overall well-being and dignity of those they serve.

How do they help?

Langar Aid helps through a network of dedicated volunteers and community partnerships. Meals are prepared in community kitchens by volunteers and distributed at designated locations where people in need come and can easily access them. The organisation also conducts outreach programmes to deliver food parcels and essentials directly to individuals and families who cannot reach distribution points. Their efforts are funded by donations from individuals, businesses, and charitable organisations, allowing them to sustain and expand themselves.

How to support them?

Supporting Langar Aid can be done in several meaning ways. Financial donations are crucial for sustaining their operations and expanding their reach. Contributions can be made through their website, https://langaraid.org/, which allows organisations to purchase ingredients, supplies, and equipment necessary for their meal distribution programmes. Volunteering is another significant way to support Langar Aid.

Volunteers are the backbone of their meal preparation and distribution efforts. They welcome individuals who can assist with cooking, serving meals, and organising food drives. In kind donations such as non-perishable food items, cooking supplies, and hygiene products are always needed and greatly appreciated. These donations directly support their mission to provide nutritious meals and essential items to those facing homelessness and food insecurity.

Additionally, raising awareness about Langar Aids work is crucial. Sharing their mission, success stories, and ongoing needs on social media within your community or through local events can help garner support and engagement.

To imagine how crucial Langar Aid is, imagine from 5:30 PM, there’s a whole street full of people in Coventry, waiting to get served food by four to five generous volunteers. I learned that does not go down until Langar Aid has to leave because they have run out of food to get. If they were not there, where would all these hundred or above people get their food when they’re hungry?  This has been John Mpaso or John Chico. Thank you very much for listening.

Written by John


Hello everyone, my name is John Chikondewa Mpaso and I am 29 years old. I am from Harare, Zimbabwe and I have lived in England for 19 years now. Ever since moving to England in 2004, I have lived in Coventry, where I attended Secondary School and Sixth Form at Lyng Hall School. Currently I am an Outreach Officer for an organisation called ININI which focuses on providing mental health services to Migrant and Local Communities. I am also Commitee Secretary for an organisation called CARAG (Coventry Asylum Refugee Action Group), which specialises in providing a range of services for Migrants and Refugees living in Coventry and the West Midlands. I become involved with ListenUp!, through a recommendation by the previous Commitee Chair of CARAG Lorraine Mponela, who shared with the group the opportunity to become a Volunteer Community Journalist for Groundswell, who would be able to capture the stories, thoughts and ideas of people who are experiencing homelessness within the areas they are a living in. Due to my own experience with homelessness and that of the people that I work with and know personally, I believed that I was in the position to capture real life stories, real time that can legitimately describe the various issues that cause homelessness to the people that live in Coventry. I believe that it is my duty to tell the real story of the homeless crisis that is being faced by the people of Coventry, both migrant and native, as I hear and see their stories play out everyday and I believe that it is on fact on one big story, that needs to be shared with the world, so that we all may truly understand the true causes of homelessness, including the many dangers and hardship that it brings forth to the people that are experiencing it. The people that I work with are my biggest inspiration, as they come in many forms like colleagues, friends and family, which has shown me that what makes humanity one, is our thoughts and feelings. It is our actions and what we do for humanity that will truly create a change, and it is up to us to take on that responsibility. It's time to Listen Up! and Make a change.

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Cost of living Service Delivery

One thought on “Those Who Help: Langar Aid

  1. Langar Aid sounds like a much needed and well used Charity…thanks for sharing

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