A grassroots organization is doing its best to make sure those stuck indoors aren’t without food during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
According to founder Syed Hassan, Love With Humanity Association has been delivering food hampers containing non-perishable items to the doorsteps of homes in the Calgary region – including Airdrie and Chestermere – since March 26.
“This is a time to help out [in] this difficult moment,” Hassan said.
So far, Hassan and his team of six volunteers have delivered around 85 food hampers through the Help On Wheels initiative, predominantly in Calgary. Hassan estimates between 12 and 15 hampers have been delivered to doorsteps in Airdrie.
Initially, the campaign began as a way to assist those under a mandatory 14-day quarantine related to COVID-19, Hassan said.
“In your isolation, you cannot go out for your needs or anything,” he said. “That’s why we started our food hamper drops.”
More recently, as people have learned about his initiative, Love With Humanity Association has also been flooded with requests from people who are struggling financially, he said.
Hassan and his team have been purchasing the pre-assembled hampers from Safeway. Each hamper contains a variety of shelf stable items – pasta, beans, soup and other canned foods – that he said should provide food for three to four days. Love With Humanity Association also places a “Get Well Soon” card and a flower in each hamper, to offer cheer to the recipients.
Hassan said people can request a hamper through Love With Humanity Association’s Facebook page.
“When we receive the messages over social media…we forward these messages to our volunteers, wherever they are,” Hassan said.
The volunteers deliver the food hampers right to the doorstep, and then text the recipient to let them know the hamper has arrived.
Because the organization is run entirely with volunteers and is limited in size and resources, drop-offs only occur on Saturdays and Sundays, Hassan said. Love With Humanity Association does its best to accommodate each request it receives, he noted, but, while they will not refuse a request, they cannot guarantee a timeframe for a drop off.
“We do our best to find a way to help out our community,” Hassan said.
Love With Humanity Association also operates a 24-hour, self-serve food bank in northeast Calgary, where non-perishable items can be dropped off or picked up as needed.
Ben Sherick, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @BenSherick
