It's Hard to Pray on an Empty Stomach - Kulvir Gill

It's Hard to Pray on an Empty Stomach

In 2008, Kulvir Gill ran a workshop at a Sikh youth retreat on a simple question: what would it take to bring langar, the community kitchen at the heart of every gurdwara, out into the wider world? When it wrapped up, he thanked everyone and got ready to move on. The room had other plans. They asked when they were actually going to do it. The next week, about 70 people showed up at his house.

That accidental beginning became Seva Food Bank. Kulvir, a strategy professional in the mining sector and recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal, tells Gabby how a group of lawyers, engineers, and accountants realized they were out of their depth, stepped back to learn what their community actually needed, and built a food bank rooted in the belief that everyone who walks through the door, whether to get food, give food, or volunteer, is part of the same family.

They talk about faith as a way of thinking beyond yourself, why "selfless service" is often deeply rewarding for the people doing it, how any of us is three hard knocks away from needing help, and the unexpected partnership that turned Seva into a "farm team" for Peel Regional Police. Kulvir also shares what it's like to lead from the back, and his challenge to every listener: skip the mushy middle and find the thing that makes you say hell yes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.