Metro Vancouver restaurant offers free food and groceries to those in need

A Metro Vancouver Indian food restaurant is coming together to offer free food and groceries to those in need during the pandemic.

Desi Turka Indian Cuisine, located in Burnaby, has partnered up with the Canadian Hindu Foundation to provide cooked meals and groceries to those struggling financially — no questions asked.

Individuals can simply fill out an online form and pick up grocery items or a hot meal from the Burnaby restaurant for no cost.

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“Normally we are giving around 15 to 20 tiffins every day and then grocery bags, which include rice, flour, and just basic grocery so they can cook food for at least a week,” said Deepak Khanchi, director of Desi Turka Indian Cuisine, in an interview with Daily Hive.

“We have been doing this for the last three to four weeks now.”

Khanchi says the rationale behind these donations is simply providing help to those who need it most during this time.

“Anybody can come by. No questions asked. We will provide them food.”

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“People are really appreciating it. Whenever we have our regular customers, they try to give us cash donations, but we are not taking any cash right now,” says Khanchi.

“We have a motto, it says, ‘Nar sewa, narayan sewa,’ which means service of humanity is service of God.”

He says for this reason, if people are interested in donating, they can drop off rice bags or other grocery items that will be delivered to those who need it.

“Those in need of help can fill out the form and set up a time between 5 and 8 pm each day to pick up their grocery or warm meal,” said Khanchi.

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“Particularly we are doing it for international students, because they don’t have money right now. International students have only a limited number of hours they can work, and that’s gone now too.”

“We are also providing food for healthcare workers at Royal Columbian Hospital. Any healthcare workers can come to the restaurant and get free food,” said Khanchi.

“We are just trying to help. We don’t want anyone to go hungry if they don’t have money right now.”