Diwali hampers to bring hope to families in need

Hundreds of volunteers gathered at Birmingham’s RSRS Centre to pack thousands of food hampers for vulnerable UK households.

About 300 community volunteers turned up at the Hockley facility to assemble parcels filled with essential supplies. It marks the ninth time the charity has united people from various backgrounds to build the hampers ahead of the religious festival.

Volunteers Pack Thousands of Hampers at Hockley RSRS Centre

The annual packing effort aims to ease pressure on families facing severe financial strain. The Diwali Foundation noted that more than 12% of UK households currently experience food poverty. To reach those in need, the charity collaborates with roughly 40 different food banks and charitable organisations.

[The] cost of living crisis hasn’t gone away… but Diwali is a celebration of light over darkness, and this is our little way of bringing some light and some hope into the families that need it most.
Deepak Parekh, founder of the initiative

To date, the foundation has provided around 23,470 food hampers to vulnerable people. Beyond the Birmingham operation, organisers held a London event on Saturday, with similar community packaging days planned for Sunday in Manchester and Leicester.

Delivering Aid Directly to Walsall Housing Group Tenants

Once packed, parcels left the Hockley centre bound for residents living in homes provided by Walsall Housing Group.

It’s really tough out there. Our customers are having a really hard time. The cost of living is not easing.
Faye Shanahan, Walsall Housing Group

Among the recipients receiving a delivery was resident John Whiting, who celebrated his 80th birthday on Saturday. He described his food parcel as unbelievable and noted that many individuals in the community currently have nothing.

Community Impact and 2026 Goals for The Diwali Foundation

The scale of the operation requires careful coordination among volunteers who spend hours sorting goods while considering the daily realities of recipients.

You’re thinking about, ‘oh I wonder what they’re going to make with this’. And the fact that this is all that they’ve got, for some people.
Clare Hannah, volunteer

Organisers have set a target of providing 6,000 food hampers this year. Successfully reaching that goal would surpass a previous milestone set in 2025, when the initiative delivered more than 80,000 individual meals to struggling households.