It is through serving the humanity that one a quires a seat in the Lords court.

By now you must have realized that in-spite of vigorous efforts by many political and religious organizations and many individuals we still have not recovered from the bad publicity given to our nation as a result of millions of dollars spent by the Indian Government to paint all the Sikhs as “violence loving trouble-making terrorists”. Moreover if you are like many of those truly devoted Gursikhs who feel that in addition to going to Gurdwara on Sundays or doing daily Nitnem a Gursikh is also supposed to share his honest earnings with his less fortunate fellow human beings then there is something for your consideration.

In order to prove the falsehood of Indian Government propaganda and to follow the path laid by Guru Nanak is his very first parable (of feeding the hungry) a non-profit charitable organization under the name of Sikhs Serving America (S.S.A.) was started in September 1985.

Unlike many other Sikh organizations who try to feed the hungry on Thanksgiving Day when everybody is doing the same thing the S.S.A. believes that people do not feel hungry just on Thanksgiving or Christmas or Guru Nanak’s Birthday they need food every day. Similarly people do not just need help during big calamities such as earthquakes or wars but there are poor people right here in the United States who cannot buy medicine for their sick children in-spite of working two minimum wage jobs. With such daily situations and big tragedies like the recent cyclone of Bangladesh in mind the S.S.A. was started.

With God’s grace we have been able to start and operate the following programs for a considerable time:

  1. Food for the Hungry-Under this program any hungry person can go to the local social service and ask for a food coupon which can be redeemed for a meal at a local fast food restaurant at any time of the day or night.
  2. Medicine for the Needy-Under these program persons who do not have insurance or who otherwise cannot be helped by any State or Federal program can go to the local health agency and get authorization to buy the needed medicine.
  3. Emergency Help to the Helpless Under this program any desperate person such as a women who is eight months pregnant and facing eviction or an old person needing eyeglasses or dentures who cannot get help anywhere else can go to the local Social Rehabilitation Service and get emergency help.
  4. Participation in Major Relief Efforts-In addition to the above programs ‘of local impact S.S.A. does make its humble contributions to the major relief efforts such as relief to earthquake victims of California cyclone victims of Bangladesh and Kurdish refugees of Iraq.
  5. Propagation of Sikh Values and the Image-All of the above programs particularly programs 1-3 have helped to create a very positive image of the Sikhs because starting of these programs were enthusiastically covered by the local press and television. In addition the S.S.A. has produced a video “Red Waters of Amritsar’ which provides an impressive account of the Sikh religious values and the recent political sufferings of 1984. A copy of this 30-minute video is available free of cost to all the S.S.A. patrons. Our next project is to prepare a full length movie focusing on the Sikh massacre and an exclusive video on the message of the Sikh religion.
  6. Encouragement of Sikh Youth Sikhs Serving America tries to help the Sikh students in such things as meeting their educational expenses and participating in Sikh organizational activities such as Youth Camps or special programs. Now we are trying to encourage the young Sikh organizers of the “Sikh Generations” magazine by trying to promote the magazine through the S.S.A. You can receive a free one-year subscription by simply signing up for the patron ship of S.S.A.

Benefits of Membership in S.S.A.-In conclusion your participation in the activities of Sikhs Serving America will provide you the following benefits:

  1. A free supply of the very thoughtful and promising magazine “Sikh Generations” for one full year. We believe that this magazine provides teachings for the Sikh youth and very valuable information for all ages. As an alternative you can have a free supply of “World Sikh News” for a period of three months.
  2. A free copy of the colorful video “Red Waters of Amritsar”. This video is a dramatic representation of the Sikh history religion and the recent holocaust of 1984 Golden Temple attack and massacre of the Sikhs on the death of Indira Gandhi.
  3. A copy at cost price of the video (when it is completed) on the “Message of the Sikh Religion” and a preferential opportunity to purchase shares in the full length movie “The Shadow Play”.
  4. Above all the satisfaction that you tax deductible contribution and participation are going to help such worthy causes as providing food for the hungry medicine for the sick and emergency help for the needy who do not have anywhere else to go. By participating in these worthy causes you not only have the spiritual satisfaction of performing your duty as a Gursikh you are also helping the whole Sikh nation by helping improve its image which may be very valuable to both the present and future Sikh generations.

How You Can Participate You can participate in meeting the noble objectives of the S.S.A in any of the following ways:

  1. You may offer to become a local coordinator for any of the S.S.A. projects. Al present our projects are limited to Kansas If you can spare some time and will be able to monitor some basic accounts we could provide you some initial funds and guidance to Start projects in your city or area such as providing food for the hungry or medicine to the needy etc.
  2. You may become a patron of the S.S.A. with a minimum deductible donation of $25 per year and receive free copies of the youth magazine “Sikh Generations” for one year or “World Sikh News” for three months and the video “Red Waters of Amritsar”.
  3. You may send any contribution for any amount for participating in any of the projects mentioned above or starting an absolutely new project for which you feel there is a strong need but you do not have enough time yourself.

I will look forward to an early response.

Daljit Singh Jawa

Topeka Kansas

SIKHS SERVING AMERICA

(A nonprofit organisation)

3543 Wood Valley Place

Topeka Kanas 66614

(913) 267-0222

Article extracted from this publication >> September 13, 1991