Ashwin Patel
ST LOUIS: The values that Bal Vihar of St. Louis Youth Group is trying to live by example boils down to making a difference in the community through their inter-faith activities along with community service and charitable initiatives.
During the pandemic, its youths continue to step up and serve the local communities in needs through various projects. They continue to inspire the youngsters by leading these initiatives. In our continued effort to serve the community, our youth group consisting of high school juniors prepared and donated meals to the Gateway 180.
On Saturday, March 13, 2021, the Center for Indian Cultural Education, Bal Vihar of St. Louis youths along with community services coordinate and admin team members worked together to prepare 114 brown bag lunches for Gateway 180. Each brown bag lunch consisted of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, an apple, chips, and chocolate chip cookie. The teams setup an assembly line at the Hindu Temple of St. Louis basement and worked collaboratively to prepare the sandwiches and pack them. The staff at Gateway 180 was excited to receive the lunch packs and shared their heartfelt gratitude.
Gateway 180 is a homeless shelter that provides tools and support to those in need. The organization helps their patrons rebuild their lives and move onto stability, independence and permanent housing. Some of their programs include Skills for Success classes, empowerment workshops, the Huddle wellness hour, and social emotional education for children. Gateway 180 accepts donations of all kinds, ranging from food to clothing to cleaning supplies.
Center for Indian Cultural Education – Bal Vihar of St. Louis since its inception in 1992 has been serving the Metro St. Louis Indian community. The primary focus of this organization is to provide Indian cultural education to students age 5-18, its application and integration with the global multicultural and multifaceted society. They are also taught discipline, tolerance and devotion in their daily routine. The ultimate goal is “to throw the light of cultural knowledge on every child, to make every child an outstanding citizen and to spread the song of peace and harmony around the world.” You can find more detail about our school at www.Balvihar-stlouis.com
