MALTON, Canada—All programs are free of charge and are open to both clients and the community at large. One of the new Seva initiatives is a monthly Medical Corner. Dr. Kulvinder Gill, a local physician, Seva Board Member and Chair of the Client Programming committee, hopes the program will empower individuals through health education and awareness. “Seva is partnering with several medical professionals and non-profit organizations within the community to address prevention, screening and management of chronic health conditions.” said Dr. Gill. Seva plans to have open discussions on cancer screening, mental health, diabetes, prenatal care, food allergies, heart disease, dental hygiene and healthy lifestyle choices to start. The first forum will focus on mental health and wellness.
Komal Bassi, a volunteer at Seva and an RN with the Canadian Mental Health Association Peel, said “1 in 5 people, or approximately 260,000 of Peel residents, have, or will experience, a mental health issue sometime in their life. Sadly, almost a third of these individuals will not seek help, or treatment for their concerns. This may be due to negative perceptions surrounding discourse about mental health in our society. With this open forum, we hope to reduce some of that stigma, discuss ways to improve our everyday well being, and examine mental health supports available within our community.”
Seva Food Bank opened its doors to the Malton community in February. It also operates another facility on Wolfedale Road. The Seva Food Bank serves approximately 12,000 individuals a month out of its Malton and Wolfedale locations. It helps to distribute nearly 40% of all food among The Mississauga Food Bank network. “Seva’s mission has always been to fight to end hunger in our community.” said Dr. Gill “However, hunger never exists in isolation. Along with working to fight hunger and poverty, we hope to empower our clients and work towards improving their lives and overall well being.”
The Mental Health and Wellness forum was held on Sunday, May 11, 2014, from 2-4 pm at the Malton Food Bank (2832 Slough Street) and was open to all free of charge. It included group workshops on art therapy, yoga and mindfulness.
To learn more about Seva Food Bank’s new programs, you can visit www.sevafoodbank.com. The Seva Food Bank provides safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food to low-income families living in Mississauga’s L5B, L5C, L4V, L5S, L4T, L5T, and L5P postal codes through their Wolfedale Road and Slough Street, Malton locations. It is an initiative of Sikhs Serving Canada, a registered charitable not-for-profit organization.
