Sikh organisations serve free meals and sandbags in flood-ravaged Victoria

This is how volunteers from Sikh organisations have stepped up to provide help in Shepparton, Benalla, Bendigo and Seymour - some of Victoria's most flood-affected regional towns.

Sikh organisations have come forward to help flood-affected people in Victoria.

Many Sikh organisations have come forward to provide relief work and food assistance to the flood victims in Victoria.

The Sikh volunteers who handed out over a hundred thousand free meals during the Covid-19 pandemic are now helping flood victims in vulnerable areas of the state by providing freshly cooked vegetarian food and drinking water.

"Within hours of the early announcements on Friday, we travelled to Bendigo to assist flood victims inundated by devastating floodwaters," says Manpreet Singh Sapra of Australian Sikh Support, a not-for-profit organisation known for their work during the bushfire crisis.

"Hundreds of people from Echuca relief centre were displaced to Bendigo relief centre due to worsening conditions.

"We have been providing lunch and dinner for these people for the last three days in Bendigo," he says.

Members of Australian Sikh Support at Bendigo. Credit: Supplied by Mr Sapra.

Sharing another goodwill story, Mr Sapra further states that Tejinder Singh from Sargun Indian restaurant in the town has given them his kitchen to prepare meals.

"We even offered him some financial assistance to use his premises, but this gentleman refused to take a single penny and instead is taking care of all the langar (free-food) preparation.

"It's a joint effort of the local Sikh community that follows the fundamental concept of humanity," he says.

The worst flooding is in Victoria's north, especially in Shepparton, where thousands of residents were told it was too late to evacuate.

In conjunction with Shepparton City Council, Australian Sikh Support is also helping to fill sandbags at the McIntosh emergency relief centre in Shepparton and has provided over 2500 meals in the last couple of days.

Free food services at Shepparton emergency relief centre. Credit: Supplied by Mr Sapra.

Sikh Volunteers Australia (SVA) is another registered charity and non-profit organisation that has helped people in need during bushfires, floods, storms and other disasters.

They have been to Benalla and Seymour to assist those in need over the weekend.

Speaking to SBS Punjabi, Jaswinder Singh, CEO of SVA, says the closure of several truck routes, grocery stores and fuel stations have severely affected the basic fundamental needs of the people from affected areas, especially from the town of Shepparton."

We're all about helping when help is needed - that's who we are

Jaswinder Singh, Sikh Volunteers Australia

Members of Sikh Volunteers Australia.

On social media, these volunteers have been thanked by many community members for their efforts.

"The Sikhs driving from Melb to Lismore earlier this year, battling flooded and damaged roads to get here, they were like determined angels," wrote one Twitter user.

"We need more acknowledgement of awesome people like the Sikh volunteers who helped out during these floods," wrote another.

Meanwhile, the Australian government has announced a recovery allowance to financially support affected people in 23 LGAs: Alpine, Benalla, Buloke, Campaspe, Central Goldfields, Corangamite, Gannawarra, Greater Bendigo, Greater Shepparton, Hepburn, Horsham, Loddon, Macedon Ranges, Mansfield, Maribyrnong, Mitchell Shire, Moira, Moonee Valley, Murrindindi, Northern Grampians, Pyrenees, Strathbogie and Wangaratta.