Overworked teachers, communities left houseless, and AAPI victims fearing for their safety. We’re all too familiar with the struggles these populations faced in this past year. But what is being done to help?
This is a mission that I care deeply about. I’ve been a volunteer for HWPL (Heavenly Culture World Peace Restoration of Light), an international peace organization for about two years. HWPL works to help spread the work of peace through volunteer efforts for communities in need. I am among hundreds of individuals in the Orange County and Los Angeles County area who work actively for this cause.
It’s amazing to work with so many like-minded people who genuinely want to spread good and help, especially seeing so many youth among us.
HWPL have helped many different groups affected by COVID-19. With hate crimes particularly affecting the AAPI community, we distributed whistles and resources to the elderly in Chinatown, Los Angeles.
Our volunteers went door to door providing information on how to report a crime and ways to keep themselves safe. In Orange County, HWPL donated hundreds of prepackaged foods to Santa Ana shelters surrounding El Centro Cultural de Mexico where many houseless locals were faced with vacating difficulties.
Also seeing a need to help teachers who were returning back to in-person learning, we fundraised and prepared gourmet lunches to teachers at Issac International School for Science and Culture, in Costa Mesa, and donated school supplies to the kindergarteners.
Just a few weeks ago on Memorial Day, we organized a park clean-up of the Vietnam War Memorial at Sid Goldstein Freedom Park in Westminster. To honor those who have fallen for the sake of people’s freedom, they dedicated the day to pick up trash in the surrounding area and polish the memorial.
There are so many ways we want to help our community through volunteering but just as important, is making the work of peace known.
In observance of the anniversary of the organization’s initiation in 5/25/2014, and the day it determined to accomplish the work of world peace, volunteers also took part in HWPL’s Declaration of Peace ceremony in May, celebrating how the work of peace is being done both internationally and within the Orange County and Los Angeles County area.
I realize that there’s a great deal required to legislate peace, but I know that through what we’re doing, however big or small, it’s making a difference in the long run. The people we’ve helped have really benefited and their gratitude to all of us at HWPL gives us strength to keep running for this work.
Editor’s Note: La Palma resident Sara Sanchez is a volunteer, working within her community to spread peace and positivity.