Gandhi Day of Service: Organizers prepare to give out thousands of meals to fight child hunger

ORLANDO, Fla. — A nationwide day of service returns to Central Florida this weekend, ready to pack 100,000 meals for those in need.

This year, the meals will work to fight child hunger in both Central Florida and Haiti.

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After having to cancel last year’s event in the pandemic, organizers are excited to see a record turnout of helping hands.

Hundreds of people have already volunteered for the event that will fill the Disney Atrium at the Amway Center.

“The more hands we have on deck, the faster the meals are packaged,” Neal Patel said.

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Pushing past COVID-19 interference last year, the Indian American Chamber of Commerce is more than ready to host its beloved Gandhi Day of Service.

“This is the first year we’ve had over 250 volunteers register which we’re really excited about,” Patel said. “We know there will be a large number of unregistered volunteers that will attend as well.”

Amitbal Singh is with the Sikh Society of Central Florida, which distributed more than 50,000 meals on its own during the pandemic.

“They want to come out and help,” Singh said. “They feel the pain.”

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The first-time volunteer for this event is bringing nearly 50 fellow members.

“It’s not just about networking. It’s also about giving back to society. So we were excited. It’s a very important part of our culture and our religion as well,” Singh said.

The project’s partner, U.S. Hunger, provides the supply of nearly 13,000 pounds of food.

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Nationwide, it estimates 18 million meals were missed in 2020′s event cancellations, making this weekend’s output critical amid the ongoing need.

To learn more about the event, click here.

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