FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Seva Fellowship Launched to Help Develop New Generation of
Diverse Community Leaders in Peel

Mississauga, ON (February 11, 2013) – Sikhs Serving Canada, the parent organization of Mississauga’s Seva Food Bank, is pleased to announce the launch of Seva Fellowship program. It aims to bring together the diverse talents of extraordinary young people to connect, collaborate and demonstrate what is possible when working together in a diverse community. Up to five high-potential youth from the Region of Peel will be selected to create positive change by coordinating volunteer projects in their local community.

“Since opening our doors in 2010, we have seen a rising interest in the number of young volunteers from different faiths and experiences who want to create positive change in the community to address today’s most pressing issues,” remarked board member Harbaljit Singh Kahlon. “We realized that we want to formally mobilize and invest in this next generation of young Canadian leaders. A generation that is ready to break barriers and build bridges in society.”

“In the Peel Region, many talented youth often miss opportunities to realize their full potential,” commented project coordinator Sadia Rafiquddin. “These are youth who want to give back to their communities, who want to grow, and who have the ability to become great leaders for this region, the province of Ontario and more broadly, Canada. We want to provide this opportunity through the Seva Fellowship.”

Through a generous grant given by the Inspirit Foundation, the first cohort of Seva Fellows will be a diverse group of exceptional young people, aged 16 to 20 years, selected from the Peel Region for an intensive five-month leadership development program. The Seva Fellows will first create volunteer partnerships with existing, mainstream and faith-based organizations and then create their own volunteer engagement initiatives. The fellows will have ongoing leadership training, meet leaders from across different sectors and get access to mentorship opportunities. In exchange for their hard work and dedication, each of fellows will also receive an $1000 honorarium upon successful completion of the program.

The deadline for applications is February 28, 2013. For more information on the program and to download the nomination package visit www.sevafoodbank.com

The mission of Sikhs Serving Canada, a registered charitable organization, is to positively impact local communities by acting on the basic Sikh tenets of sarbat da bhalla (the well being of all) and seva (selfless service). Our first initiative is the Seva Food Bank that provides safe, nutritious and culturally-appropriate food to low- income families living in Mississauga’s L5B and L5C postal codes.

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Media Contact:
Kulvir Singh Gill | Sikhs Serving Canada
communications@sevafoodbank.com | www.sevafoodbank.com

The Seva Food Bank is requesting nominations for the first cohort of Seva Fellows, a group of exceptional young people selected from the Peel Region for an intensive five-month leadership development program. The purpose of the Seva Fellowship is to bring together the diverse talents of these extraordinary people to connect, collaborate and demonstrate what is possible when working together in a diverse community.

The Seva Fellows will first create volunteer partnerships with existing, mainstream and faith-based organizations and then create their own volunteer engagement initiatives. The fellows will have ongoing leadership training, meet leaders from across different sectors and get access to mentorship opportunities.

Letters of recommendation should clearly describe how candidates meet the following selection criteria:

• Initiative
• Motivation
• Drive
• Imagination
• Demonstrated communication skills
• Commitment to volunteerism
• Commitment to dialogue and openness to other diverse faiths, cultures and backgrounds
• A strong desire to effect change and build a more inclusive Canada
• Academic excellence

Nominations for the 2013 Seva Fellowship are accepted from until 28 February 2013.
Selection Committee interviews of shortlisted candidates will be held in Mississauga on March 9, 2013.

For more information see Selection Process.
Download the 2013 Seva Fellows Nomination Package.

Media Advisory
For Immediate Release

Seva Food Bank Hires Director of Programs and Youth Development

Mississauga, ON (February 1, 2013) – Seva Food Bank is pleased to announce the hiring of Sadia Rafiquddin as its new full-time Director of Programs and Youth Development. In her new role, Sadia will be developing focused programs for our client families and connecting them with services available in the community. Sadia will also be launching our new community volunteering and youth leadership development programs, through a generous grant provided by the Inspirit Foundation.

“My early exposure to human rights violations in my birth country, Pakistan and the legacy of our move to Canada as refugees has motivated me to pursue a life devoted to social justice,” explained Sadia. “I’m very excited to be working as an advocate at Seva for the hundreds of families that walk through our doors every month.”

Sadia has been featured as one of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network and completed the Action Canada Fellowship. She holds an Honours B.A. in International Relations and Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Toronto, Trinity College and a Masters degree in Human Rights from the University of Sydney, Australia. She has also been an accredited journalist at G8 Summits in Russia (2006), Germany (2007) and Japan (2008) and contributed to more than 16 research reports for the G8 Research Group.

“From Day One, our vision has been to not just operate a food bank, but build an organization that addresses the root causes of poverty in our community and our client families,” remarked board chair Gurmeet Singh Ahluwalia. “We are delighted to have Sadia on the team. She brings a tremendous amount of experience and energy to the role. Her efforts will be critical in ensuring we are not only serving our clients dietary needs but getting them back on their feet. We’re also very excited about Sadia’s involvement with launching the Seva Squad, a community volunteering movement, and the Seva Fellows, a leadership development program for high-potential youth.”

In addition to the hiring of Sadia, we are pleased to announce that Rohit Mehta has moved into a full-time role as our Director of Operations and Volunteer Engagement. Sadia and Rohit will be taking over responsibilities from Michael Brito who is finishing his staff role with the Seva Food Bank to concentrate on his studies but will continue to serve in a volunteer capacity. “Michael was our first employee and in his time with Seva contributed in every aspect to the organization,”  said board member Birender Kaur Gill. “He is loved by our volunteers and clients and while we are sad to see him transition off as an employee, we look forward to working with him as a volunteer.”

The Seva Food Bank provides safe, nutritious and culturally-appropriate food to over 1000 registered low-income families in Mississauga through a partnership with The Mississauga Food Bank. It is an initiative of Sikhs Serving Canada, a registered not-for-profit charitable organization whose mission is to positively impact local communities by acting on the basic Sikh tenets of sarbat da bhalla (the well being of all) and seva (selfless service).

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Media Contact:
Kulvir Singh Gill | communications@sevafoodbank.com | www.sevafoodbank.com

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Media Advisory

For Immediate Release

CJMR 1320 AM Radio Hosts Raise Food and Funds For Seva Food Bank

Mississauga, ON (December 3, 2012) – Over $75,000 in pledges and 30,000 pounds of food was collected for Mississauga’s Seva Food Bank this past weekend. The effort was lead by the producers of CJMR 1320 AM radio station to mark the 543rd anniversary of Guru Nanak’s birth.

“We really wanted to find a way to put Guru Nanak’s message of equality, social justice and service into practice” remarked radio host Kuldip Deepak. “The Seva Food Bank is doing just that with its commitment to seva, selfless service, and its commitment to sarbat da bhalla, the well-being of all humanity.”

On Thursday November 28th, the hosts held their second annual sixteen hour commercial-free radiothon. Just three days later, two-hundred volunteers were mobilized to collect food donations at 24 different locations across the GTA.

“This incredible week will make a direct positive impact on the lives of our client families” commented Seva Food Bank organizer, Manraj Singh Pannu. “The food and funds collected allow us to not only feed more people but also tackle the issues of food security, hunger and poverty in our local community.”

The Seva Food Bank first opened its doors in September 2010 and has grown to distribute over 25,000 pounds of food each month to over 1000 registered client families. As part of the Mississauga Food Bank’s city-wide network, it provides safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food across the L5B and L5C postal codes.

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Media Contact:
Kulvir Singh Gill
communications@sevafoodbank.com
www.sevafoodbank.com

In response to client family preferences, starting the week of November 5th, we will be adding a new Thursday evening shift to our schedule. Also, due to low client turnout, we will be discontinuing the Sunday late-afternoon shift.

Going forward our new client schedule will be:

1. Wednesdays: 6:30 to 8:30pm
2. Thursday: 6:30 to 8:30 pm
3. Sundays: 12:00 pm to 2:00pm

Introduction:

Sikhs Serving Canada (SSC) is a registered not-for-profit charitable organization with a mission to positively impact local communities by acting on the basic Sikh tenets of sarbat da bhalla (the well being of all) and seva (selfless service). SSC is looking for a unique individual to develop and lead The Seva Project as its Program Manager. At a time of change for the Peel Region with rapid growth and development, there is need for an individual, familiar with the region and its broad micro and macro challenges to help mobilize youth and develop leaders who are critical to its future.

The Seva Project will have two integrated components:

• The Seva Fellows will be a group of young Canadians between 16-20 years of age that participate in a fellowship program that takes a two prong approach. They will first create volunteer partnerships with existing mainstream and faith-based organizations and then create their own volunteer engagement initiatives. Secondly, they will be given ongoing leadership development experience to give them the tools to be agents of change in and beyond their communities.
• The Seva Squad will be a diverse group of young individuals that will be actively contributing to their community through the opportunities generated by the Fellows.

Job Overview:

The Program Manager will work together with the Seva Fellows and Advisory Board to collectively develop the criteria for appropriate volunteer opportunities and partner organizations. Criteria will ensure that only those activities that have a tangible, positive impact on the local community will be considered.

Key Responsibilities:

• Development and management of Seva Fellows program
• Developing and Managing the selection process of Seva Fellows
• Day-to-day operations of the Seva Project
• Coordinate official communications of the Seva Project
• Coordination with Sikhs Serving Canada and Seva Food Bank
• Facilitate partnerships with volunteer organizations
• Coordination of fundraising activities including
• Oversight of volunteers (recruiting, managing, rewarding) with Volunteer Coordinator
• Developing systems to support initiative
• Identify members of the Council of Mentors
• Identify partner organizations for Seva Fellows
• Represent Seva Project at community events, conferences, roundtables and any other public events

Hours & Compensation:

• 15 hours a week including evenings and weekends
• Contract Position from November 1^st, 2012 to September 31^st, 2013 with total compensation of $15,000

Required Qualifications:

• Very strong ability to listen, be non-judgmental, authentically curious and open to new ideas.
• Demonstrated familiarity working with youth, particularly those from a marginalized background.
• Solid research and writing abilities, critical thinking and analytical skills.
• Solid computer skills with proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• Either a graduate or professional degree in social sciences, public policy or related field OR demonstrated equivalent experience.
• Can work thoughtfully and respectfully in a cross-cultural setting
• Prior supervisory experience.
• General office and management skills including computer skills, people skills, planning and organizing aptitude, and leadership.
• Must hold a valid Ontario driver’s license with a clean driving record and have access to a vehicle.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience with non-profit social services agencies.
• Prior experience working with vulnerable communities.
• Experience in volunteer management and engagement.
• Additional spoken languages an asset, especially Punjabi, Arabic, and Spanish.
• Participated in Fellowships programs or equivalent experience
• Substantive understanding of the Peel Region

Reports to:

• Sikhs Serving Canada (SSC) Board of Directors and specifically the Chair of the Board.

Performance Measurements:

• Project Manager’s job performance shall be evaluated by the SSC Board monthly for the first three months, and annually thereafter.
• Measurements shall include fellow satisfaction, expense controls, volunteer satisfaction and number of volunteer opportunities executed.

Please forward a cover letter and resume with references by Friday November 16th, 2012 to hr@sevafoodbank.com. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those to be invited for an interview will be contacted.

Introduction:

The Seva Food Bank provides safe, nutritious and culturally-appropriate food to low- income families living in Mississauga’s L5B and L5C postal codes. An initiative of Sikhs Serving Canada, a registered not-for-profit charitable organization, our mission is to positively impact local communities by acting on the basic Sikh tenets ofsarbat da bhalla (the well being of all) and seva (selfless service). Since opening our doors in September 2010, we have had the privilege of serving more than 500,000lbs of food to over 900 families in need. Seva Food Bank is looking to hire a new part-time Operations Manager.

Job Overview:

This individual will have responsibility to organize and supervise the daily operations of Seva Food Bank. This includes managing our warehouse and front reception area, as well as food procurement, delivery, sorting, storage, and distribution.

Key Responsibilities:

• Responsible for prompt and efficient delivery of food and other assistance to clients.
• Supervise and train volunteers for logistics and food distribution.
• Receive food deliveries and donations to the food bank.
• Coordinate all aspects of our food procurement strategy including new initiatives to generate food donations.
• Supervise and manage all client shifts ensuring timely and efficient processing of client assessments and food distribution.
• Serve as primary contact for The Mississauga Food Bank network and other organizations for food intake. Prepare weekly food order from TMFB.
• Chair the Operations Committee working with key volunteers to identify and implement ongoing operational improvements.
• Ensuring all paper and electronic records of clients, donors and food orders are properly updated and stored.
• Working with SSC board to coordinate all payments to vendors and suppliers.
• Closely monitor expenditures and maintain budgetary guidelines for expenses controlled by OM, e.g. utilities, supplies, purchases, etc.
• Ensure proper janitorial work is done, bathrooms and kitchen areas are cleaned and sanitized regularly and garbage is appropriately removed.
• Work with external pest control company to ensure compliance with health policies.
• May be designated other compatible duties as assigned.

Hours:

• 20 hours a week including evenings and weekends  (clients shifts will be changing to Wednesday evening, Thursday evening and Sunday afternoon)

Required Qualifications:

• Strong sense of commitment to SFB’s mission and values.
• Experience in logistics and warehouse management.
• Prior supervisory experience.
• General office and management skills including computer skills, people skills, planning and organizing aptitude, and leadership.
• Must be able to lift 50lbs.
• Must hold a valid Ontario driver’s license with a clean driving record and have access to a vehicle.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience with non-profit social services agencies.
• Prior experience working with vulnerable communities.
• Experience in volunteer management and engagement.
• Additional spoken languages an asset, especially Punjabi, Arabic, and Spanish.
• Food Handlers Certificate and CPR training an asset.

Reports to:

• Sikhs Serving Canada (SSC) Board of Directors and specifically the Chair of the Board.

Performance Measurements:

• Operations Manager’s job performance shall be evaluated by the SSC Board monthly for the first three months, and annually thereafter.
• Measurements shall include client satisfaction, expense controls, compliance to maintenance / safety programs, volunteer retention and general operational efficiency.

Please forward a cover letter and resume with references by Friday November 2^nd, 2012 to hr@sevafoodbank.com. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those to be invited for an interview will be contacted.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kirtan Darbar Being Held To Mark Seva Food Bank’s Second Anniversary 

Mississauga, ON (September 24, 2012) – The Seva Food Bank is delighted to invite all its clients, volunteers, donors and community supporters to attend a Kirtan Darbar (Sikh prayer ceremony) being held to mark the second anniversary of its opening.

The Kirtan Darbar will take place on Saturday October 13th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Halton Sikh Cultural Association (Oakville Gurduara) located on 2403 Khalsa Gate, Oakville.

The Seva Food Bank has had two tremendous years.  Over the past twelve months, more than 900 families have registered to receive a monthly supply of food. Over 500,000 pounds of food have been distributed to clients by more than 150 dedicated active volunteers.

“Absolutely none of what we have accomplished would have been possible without the complete support of our community,” says board chair Gurmeet Singh Ahluwalia. “This really has been a team effort. Everyone including The Mississauga Food Bank, our dedicated Organizing Committee, our tireless volunteers, our exemplary donors and our friends in the media have all come together to make the Seva Food Bank a success story.”

As the food bank establishes its operations the organization’s view is towards the future. “Just running a regular traditional food bank was never our goal. We want to attack the root causes of poverty,” remarked board member Manraj Singh Pannu. “We want to make a transformational impact in the lives of our clients. As our clients get back on their feet, we would love for them to become volunteers and even donors themselves.”

The Seva Food Bank provides safe, nutritious and culturally-appropriate food to low- income families living in Mississauga’s L5B and L5C postal codes. An initiative of Sikhs Serving Canada, a registered not-for-profit organization, our mission is to positively impact local communities by acting on the basic Sikh tenets of sarbat da bhalla (the well being of all) and seva (selfless service).

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Media Contact:
Kulvir Singh Gill
Sikhs Serving Canada
communications@sevafoodbank.com
www.sevafoodbank.com