Compassion During the Pandemic by Darshna Shah - TCCOP Team member
Jainism is sometimes referred to as “a compassionate religion” as Compassion is one of the main pillars. Lord Mahavira’s message is that we should love everybody and should not hurt anybody. We should try to help others and make them happy – that is compassion. This pandemic year has been unlike anything we have ever experienced, but it did give us an opportunity to be compassionate towards our fellow human beings. Tender Care Community Outreach Program (TCCOP) was fortunate to be contacted by Dr. Elsie Briseno Simonovski - Director of Child Welfare and Attendance at the Buena Park School District about an annual program providing socio-economically disadvantaged students with jackets and shoes to ensure youth are taken care of during the holidays and the approaching cold winter season. This additional layer of support for basic needs would enable these youth to learn and grow in a comfortable environment. Ten students, from K to 8th grade, were nominated from the schools and the district office. These students live in garages, motels, shelters, camp sites, cars or share residences with other families, and a pair of good shoes and a warm jacket fulfills the basic clothing items needed so they may be able to thrive and learn their classroom lessons. Each student was handpicked from eight schools and went home with a big smile as this gift was a total surprise! With the generosity of discounted pricing from Skechers and the affordable pricing of items from Costco the smiles this year were priceless!
Thanks to generous community support, TCOOP was able to continue their Projects during Pandamic: • Distributed hand-made face masks to healthcare workers, • Organized sending hand written caring letters to seniors centers • Helped the Covenant House in Los Angeles to distribute 600 sandwiches each month to homeless youth. • Continued to deliver food supplies to the Community Center in Santa Ana, and hot meals & fruits.to the Long Beach Church to feed homeless. Arranged for meals at WISE Place in Santa Ana - a nonprofit organization which provides unaccompanied women with safe transitional and emergency needs. • Provided grocery bags of beans, rice, and tortillas to 300 underserved families identified by Placentia- Yorba Unified School District. Also distributed 5 pound bags of rice and beans, oil and cereal to more than 300 families at the Valadez Middle School in Placentia. • Virtual education is causing health and mental issues for under privileged students and their teachers, negatively impacting student grades. Supported Valadez Middle School teachers to take fresh fruits to these students during weekly home visits. • Partnered with Sikh Center of Santa Ana in distributing groceries to over 650 needy families.
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