The coronavirus pandemic has caused devastating impact in the world, including our neighborhoods and communities. It has disrupted the daily lives of several families in the neighborhoods surrounding the new Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington (JSMW) temple site in Beltsville, MD. In these trying times, JSMW has stepped up to help struggling families in a small but meaningful way. As responsible neighbors, JSMW organized and executed food donation drives for the needy families.
Under the leadership of President Sharad Doshi, the JSMW team ran three food drives in Beltsville—the first in April and the second in May. The community members donated funds to support this noble cause with open hearts and collected the targeted amount in a matter of days. Several members volunteered to pack roughly 2400 Jain meals (vegetarian) and 1,000 face-masks for 250 families. Each meal consisted of non-perishable food items (5lb rice, pasta, beans, peanut butter, vegan sauce, and pretzels). About 25 members volunteered to distribute the packages to drive-by vehicles. JSMW members who are doctors or financial experts were available to offer medical or financial advice to the visiting families.
Police officers from Prince George’s County Police Department and county officials dropped by to thank JSMW for generous donations and to show support for the local community. The visiting families were grateful for these contributions and felt that somebody in their neighborhood looked out for them. JSMW will continue to serve the local community in the spirit of brotherhood.
Photo Caption: Community members at the food distributions from JSMW