FRENCH CAMP, Calif. — Everyday Heroes are all around us and ABC10 wants to highlight the work they do. Every week our viewer nominates people and organizations making a difference in our community.
This week we want to introduce you to Dr. Harkesh Sandhu. In 2005 he started Sahaita, a humanitarian group. The organization is committed to health, education and disaster relief. Since the start of the pandemic, they’ve helped deliver Personal Protective Equipment to underserved communities and frontline workers like truckers.
You may not think of them as front-line workers, but we all depend on truck drivers to deliver Vital supplies like food medical supplies.
“8 to 10 hours a day continuously we’ve helped thousands of truckers,” said Dr. Sandhu. “We are giving them sanitizers, telling them what to use and when to use it.”
The word Sahaita means “The helping hand”. When the pandemic first started Dr. Sandhu used his contacts in the medical field to get large supplies of masks and sanitizers delivered to the U.S. from different countries. Since then he and volunteers have distributed more than 15,000 masks.
“Everybody is worried about the second wave," said Sandhu. "We are all ready for it. We have all the supplies."
Education is a big part of Sahaita. When volunteers distribute PPE to truck drivers, they also educate them on safe social distancing practices.
Sahaita has volunteers all over North America and India who are currently helping frontline workers and underserved communities slow the spread of the pandemic.
“It’s my passion and all these people are the same way,” said Sandhu. “The maximum safety we can provide is something we should provide.”
If you are in need of masks or sanitizer call Sahaita’s helpline at (916) 246-6088.
Sahaita depends on volunteers and donations. If you would like to get involved log onto their website www.Sahaita.org
If you want to nominate an Everyday Hero send an email to John Bartell jbartell@abc10.com and put Everyday Hero in the subject line. Feel free to send pictures and or web links in the submission.
After seeing all the positive social media comments about Caltrans crews and contractors working to repair roads after wildfires, ABC10 decided to meet some of them.