NSW Local Hero winner ‘honored’

Among four winners who will go up against the rest of the country’s state and territory winners in the national awards in Canberra on January 25, the Clyde-based charity worker was selected for his work distributing food and grocery hampers to people experiencing food insecurity across NSW.
The 41-year-old founded the charity after experiencing racial slurs and insults because of his Sikh turban and beard, and wanted to show people they didn’t need to be afraid and began helping struggling Australians.
Every week, Turbans 4 Australia package and distribute up to 450 food and grocery hampers to people experiencing food insecurity in Western Sydney.
The group has also delivered hay to farmers in drought; supplies to flood victims in Lismore and bushfire-impacted people on the South Coast; and food hampers to the isolated and vulnerable during Covid.
He said it felt amazing to be nominated for the award and a huge surprise to win.
“I’m hoping this win will shine a light on the work that we do and open a lot of doors,” he said.
“We need to get the message out there that food insecurity is a huge issue and charities need more funding so we can go about working to provide support rather than having to be focused on fundraising.”