The Heart Behind Let’s Share a Meal
Let’s Share a Meal is a volunteer-led nonprofit organization based in New Jersey committed to feeding the hungry with dignity, kindness, and love. Rooted in the Sikh traditions of Seva (selfless service) and Langar (a communal free kitchen open to all), we provide hot meals, emergency aid, and community support to those who need it most—across the U.S. and beyond.
The Heart Behind Let’s Share a Meal
Let’s Share a Meal is a volunteer-led nonprofit organization based in New Jersey committed to feeding the hungry with dignity, kindness, and love. Rooted in the Sikh traditions of Seva (selfless service) and Langar (a communal free kitchen open to all), we provide hot meals, emergency aid, and community support to those who need it most—across the U.S. and beyond.
Our mission
To build a world where no one is left behind — not at the dinner table, not in a crisis, not in life.
Our vision
To inspire a global movement where sharing a meal spreads the spirit of service and oneness across cultures, faiths, and borders.
Our Guiding Values
What We Stand For
Seva isn’t a choice.
It’s our way of life.
Oneness isn’t a belief.
It’s our truth.
Equality isn’t a dream.
It’s our foundation.
From Leftover to a Legacy
2011 – It Started With a Tray of Langar
At a New Jersey Gurudwara, Onkar Singh and Talwinder Singh noticed trays of uneaten food after a community program.
They reached out to the Hoboken Shelter to donate the meals — but encountered a disconnect: U.S. food safety laws required specific protocols.
Instead of giving up, they took it as a learning opportunity. They studied the system — licensing, safety standards, and nutritional requirements — and turned that moment into a roadmap.
That day, a deeper mission was born.
From Leftover to a Legacy
2012 – The Birth of a Movement
A handful of passionate volunteers came together. Late-night conversations. Shared vision.
Then came a name that captured the soul of it all: Let’s Share a Meal. Suggested by sevadar Gurmeet Singh, the name honored the Sikh tradition of Langar — a meal for all, without discrimination.
But this wasn’t just about Sikh values.
It was about our common universal human values — compassion, dignity, and service.
2014–2018 – Growth, Recognition, and Community Trust
Word spread. (Building Trust)
We were honored by Eva’s Village. Recognized as a trusted partner by Bowery Mission and dozens of shelters across New Jersey and New York.
We built relationships that mattered — with shelters, city officials, and local businesses.
Soon, when a shelter needed food, groceries, or warm clothing — they didn’t just look for help.
They called us.
Present – 50 States, 1 Mission
Our most ambitious project yet: Serve a meal in all 50 states.
With no big sponsors, we tapped into our most powerful asset: people.
- Former volunteers who’d moved across the country
- Gurudwaras and Indian restaurants offering food for free
- Business owners who believed in the mission and helped us go state-by-state
In states where we knew no one?
We cold-called shelters. Reached out to restaurants. Asked for help.
And America answered.
Because people want to help — they just need a reason to believe.
TIMELINE
2011 – It Started With a Tray of Langar
At a New Jersey Gurudwara, Onkar Singh and Talwinder Singh noticed trays of uneaten food after a community program.
They reached out to the Hoboken Shelter to donate the meals — but encountered a disconnect: U.S. food safety laws required specific protocols.
Instead of giving up, they took it as a learning opportunity. They studied the system — licensing, safety standards, and nutritional requirements — and turned that moment into a roadmap.
That day, a deeper mission was born.
2012 – The Birth of a Movement
A handful of passionate volunteers came together. Late-night conversations. Shared vision.
Then came a name that captured the soul of it all: Let's Share a Meal. Suggested by sevadar Gurmeet Singh, the name honored the Sikh tradition of Langar — a meal for all, without discrimination.
But this wasn't just about Sikh values. It was about our common universal human values — compassion, dignity, and service.
2014–2018 – Growth, Recognition, and Community Trust
Word spread. (Building Trust)
We were honored by Eva's Village. Recognized as a trusted partner by Bowery Mission and dozens of shelters across New Jersey and New York.
We built relationships that mattered — with shelters, city officials, and local businesses.
Soon, when a shelter needed food, groceries, or warm clothing — they didn't just look for help. They called us.
Present – 50 States, 1 Mission
Our most ambitious project yet: Serve a meal in all 50 states.
With no big sponsors, we tapped into our most powerful asset: people.
- Former volunteers who'd moved across the country
- Gurudwaras and Indian restaurants offering food for free
- Business owners who believed in the mission and helped us go state-by-state
In states where we knew no one? We cold-called shelters. Reached out to restaurants. Asked for help. And America answered.
Because people want to help — they just need a reason to believe.
what we do?
From a single act of seva in New Jersey, we’ve become a global movement. We now operate in the U.S., U.K., India, and Australia, with new chapters emerging every year. We run medical missions, monthly drives like Tasty Tuesday, annual events around vaisakhi, thanksgiving and more.
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