Sometime back we discussed about a few noble NGOs and there was a mention about 'Akshaya patra foundation' which provides food to nearly 10 lakh school kids daily, in several states of India. Amex had a voting for the best projects across the world and chose 5 projects to award cash incentives. the results have been announced and good to know that akshaya patra, though didnt bag the first prize, did manage to get to the top 5.
Hare Krishna, Dear Balasubramani, Our Puri TAPF (The Akshaya Patra Foundation) team has done a great service to the poor and homeless people due to affected by flood by providing the food in large qty with in a short period . So pls pass this link and message toTamil sangam and Oriya sangam team to see such a great service by our TAPF team in orissa .
Thanks for the info. I never know this is part of ISKON. Good to know. I read about how they collect material and prepare food for 10 lakh people daily. Amazing to read.
> > Dear Satish, > > Hardly I experienced HUNGER.. > > " Varumiyin Niram Sigappu " Kamal - putting his hands deep inside a > drain to get a half-eaten apple DID CREATE an impact on HUNGER... > > Akshaya Patra Foundation deserves very special appreciation and > support. > > It is also time to recall the support of former Chief Ministers of > TN "Karmaveerar" Kamaraj and Dr. MGR in identifying the needs of the > school going children and fed them through MIDDAY MEALS scheme .. > which is now much lauded throughout India. > > anbudan > sps >
Dear SPS,
Yes movies does leave a long lasting impact. I have not experience the worst of hunger but have heard a lot from my parents...they have suffered a lot...with hardly one time meal a day for many days. My mother used to say, even if you are not suffering, you should realize what it is and how fortunate you are.
As Avvayar says in Tiruvilayadal - athaninum kodithu ilamayil varumai...
Really Karmaveerar was a avathara purushan. Just because of that one soul, we still believe that leaders can come from uneducated background too....
The Akshaya Patra Foundation comes to the rescue of Flood victims in puri District,serves more than Two Lac meals.
Reaches to the Flood ravaged victims of Orissa
25th September,2008: The Akshaya Patra Foundation, the world's largest NGO run school meal program which currently feeds over 9.5 lakh children across the country every day, has come forward in a large way to help the flood hit people of Orissa.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation, a not-for-profit, Bangalore-based secular trust, evolved a free lunch program in schools in the year 2000. What started as a pilot project in five schools in Bangalore , feeding 1,500 children, has now grown into a mammoth endeavor reaching out to over 9.48 lakh children in over 4,600 government, government aided schools and anganwadis (day care centers) in 15 locations, across six states in India , day after day.. Currently the Foundation reaches to the underprivileged children in Bangalore , Hubli-Dharwad, Bellary , Mangalore and Mysore in Karnataka, Jaipur, Nathdwara and Baran in Rajasthan, Vrindavan and Mathura district in Uttar Pradesh, Puri and Nayagarh in Orissa, Gandhinagar and Ahemedabad in Gujarat and Raipur in Chattisgarh.
The foundation reaches out to more than 30 thousand underprivileged children in Puri and above 12000 underpriviledged Children of nayagarh in Orissa.
As the foundation continued to feed the underprivileged children, it also extended a helping hand to the flood affected victims in Orissa. As the flood created havoc across the state Akshaya Patra Foundation took upon itself the challenge to be with the people at the time of disaster and need. Puri district is severly affected with flood since last week. Many people are homeless and food supplied by Akshaya Patra is the only meals available to fill their hungry stomach. Although Puri district is flooded with water from Mahanadhi basin, Jagannath Dham remain unaffected.
The foundation distributed food to the victims for four continuous days from September 20 - 23, 2008 with cooked nutritious food. This benefited more than 1.25 lakh victims in the worst flood hit areas of Pipilli Block, Kanas, Puri, Teispur, Satsankha, Balanga and Satyabadi.
Shri, Madhu Pandit Das, Chairman The Akshaya Patra Foundation, said "it is our social responsibility to help our fellow beings in the time of need and distress, our centralized kitchen in Puri is well equipped, with such infrastructure we can cook food for one lakh in less than six hours and hence it was our duty to reach out to support the victims of the flood."
The foundation also pleads to all the people across the country to extend a helping hand for the victims of the flood, as the surging water from the beaches has submerged most of the area of Puri District.
AKSHAYA PATRA FOUNDATION: Unlimited Food for Education.
( NATIONAL LEVEL SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAMME)
According to a UNESCO report, around 13.5 million children in the age group of 6-13 years are out of school in India . Despite the trillion-dollar economic growth, a large chunk of India 's younger generation, does not have access to schools because of poverty and malnutrition.
To facilitate the education of needy children, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, provides unlimited noon meals in schools in partnership with the Central and respective state governments of India . Currently the program is feeding 8,38,000 children in over 4,500 government, government aided schools and anganwadis (day care centers) in 11 locations across India on any given day.
They are Bangalore , Hubli-Dharwad, Bellary , Mangalore and Mysore in Karnataka, Anantpur in Andhra Pradesh, Jaipur, Nathdwara and Baran in Rajasthan, Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh and Puri in Orissa. This is the largest NGO run food program in the world.
What makes Akshaya Patra unique?
1. The Akshaya Patra program uses centralized, automated kitchens for cooking food which is then distributed to schools through special purpose vehicles.
2. Akshaya Patra's kitchens can cook about 100,000 meals in less than five hours with least human intervention and sustained quality.
3. A three item menu is served to children as per the recommendations of qualified nutritionists.
4. Due to extensive mechanization of the kitchen, the program is able to offer children standardized, high quality, hygienic meals.
5. The program also offers education and health interventions for holistic child development.
6. Akshaya Patra is a secular, not-for-profit program implemented only in government schools where there is no discrimination whatsoever.
7. The program is independently governed by a Board of Trustees & audited by KPMG.
8. A study in the year 2006 by AC Nielsen Org Marg Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, has vouchsafed for the efficacy of the program in increasing attendance in schools, improving nutritional status of these children, enhancing their learning abilities and reducing drop out rates.
9. Akshaya Patra program is run with part subsidies from the government, besides financial support from corporates and individual philanthropists.
10. All contributions to The Akshaya Patra Foundation are eligible for 100% tax deduction under section 35AC/80GGA(bb) of the Income Tax Act 1961 in India .
With a vision to ensure that no child in India is deprived of education because of hunger, the Akshaya Patra Foundation is striving to end hunger and create a human resources pool that will propel India into the league of developed nations.