Experience a mother’s selfless emotions this Mother’s Day

 Mother’s Day is observed worldwide to honour all mothers and the values they embody. It evokes feelings of love, gratitude and appreciation for the women who endure to bring us to this world and fight against the odds to nurture us throughout their lives. 

While we celebrate our own mothers who ensure that we grow up amidst all comforts of life, we must also remember countless children who cannot access necessities like food, shelter and education. So, let us take a moment to appreciate the motherly efforts of not-for-profit organisations that support these children with the resources they need and deserve to develop to their full potential.  

In developing countries like India, where NGOs’ child welfare efforts are more desperately needed, The Akshaya Patra Foundation is helping turn the tide. 

Akshaya Patra has been working with the government in India for 22 years to serve freshly-cooked, safe and nutritious mid-day meals to children from low-income families every day. This commendable collaboration to implement PM POSHAN Abhiyaan (formerly known as the Mid-Day Meal or MDM Programme) has successfully incentivised them to attend school regularly and significantly improved their academic and non-academic performance, thus helping them persevere for the life they desire.

The compassionate kitchens of Akshaya Patra

The NGO’s name is derived from the Sanskrit word “Akshaya” meaning “endless” or “imperishable” — synonymous with the unending and unconditional love of a generous mother and also a fitting name for an organisation that undergoes constant technological advancement to serve its beneficiaries ceaselessly. All its kitchens strictly adhere to international hygiene standards, 27 of which are ISO-certified. 

Furthermore, utmost care is taken at all stages of MDM production.

• Freshness of the raw materials ensured in all the kitchens by following the FIFO (First In First Out) and FEFO (First Expiry First Out) methods

• Cooking utensils made of food-safe SS 304 Grade that are sanitised before every use

• Kaizen, 5S, GMP, CI Projects and Six Sigma methodologies followed for constant improvement and involvement of every member in the kitchen

• Meals prepared from a standardised cyclical menu to ensure balanced and locally-palatable meals for children on all days 

• Well-structured Quality Assurance programme implemented during Pre-Production, Production and Post-Production stages of meal preparation

• Cooked meals safely delivered every day in customised delivery vans

• Daily feedback taken from schools while delivering the meals

• Audits and surveys conducted on a daily, monthly and yearly basis

And just like a mother, the kitchens rev up before sunrise to deliver fresh and fulfilling meals to all its beneficiaries on time.

Care for children by supporting PM POSHAN Abhiyaan this Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is a day to appreciate the selflessness and unconditional love of mothers, and Akshaya Patra’s work is a reflection of these values. Its mission to provide nutritious school meals to children every day is a testament to the fact that the love and care of a mother extend beyond her own child. 

The NGO’s endeavour is a call to action for all of us to step up and do our part in ensuring that every child has access to the resources they need to thrive, just like our own mothers ensured that we had everything we needed to succeed.

Consider contributing to nourish children this Mother’s Day!

₹1,500 feeds a child in a government school for a year.

Celebrate this Akshaya Tritiya, by feeding meals with Akshaya Patra

 Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akha Teej, is revered as a sacred day by Hindus and Jains. Akshaya Tritiya takes place on the Shukla Paksha Tritiya in the lunar month of Vaishakh. People use this auspicious day to start new businesses, jobs or charitable endeavours. They also pay respect to their departed parents and ancestors. Since it is considered to be the most auspicious day as per the Hindu calendar, all the activities undertaken on this day bring desired results.

It is considered auspicious to purchase gold and silver on this day. By investing in gold and silver, one is thought to receive the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi, who represents wealth and success. The logic behind this long-standing custom is that buying gold is always profitable and it will always have a good resale value.

Hindu texts state that this day has a lot of significance. On this day, Lord Parashuram, Lord Vishnu's sixth avatar, is said to have manifested. In addition, it is also stated that the Holy Ganga arrived on Earth on Akshaya Tritiya to grant King Bhagiratha's afflicted forefathers’ nirvana.

This day also heralds the start of Treta-yuga, the second of the Yuga Cycle's four yugas. It's also believed that Sudama paid Lord Krishna a visit at Dwarka on Akshaya Tritiya. Adi Sankaracharya wrote the Kanakadhara Stotram and Vyasadeva began work on the Mahabharata on this auspicious day. In addition, Lord Kubera is also said to have received his role as the wealth custodian on Akshaya Tritiya.

Akshaya signifies limitless or never ending in Sanskrit. According to a legend, on this day, the Sun God gave the Pandavas the Akshaya Patra, an endless store of food that they would never run out of. The story has immense significance in the context of our 22-year journey which we started to provide children unlimited food for education. 

Celebrate Akshaya Tritiya this April 22, 2023, with The Akshaya Patra Foundation, which offers children in government schools the "Akshaya Patra" of limitless food for education.

Akshaya Tritiya – An Auspicious Day for Charity

As per Vedic texts, in the past, the kings and wealthy members of society would conduct sacrifices (yajna) and give away their wealth. This engagement in charitable endeavours was either out of compassion for others or for their own spiritual development.

In the Bhagavad Gita, it is advised to perform charity and support a deserving individual at an appropriate moment and place, without expecting anything in return. It is also said that one should never stop engaging in yajna, dana, tapah and karma(prescribed duties of performing sacrifice, charity and austerity).

One of the best ways to do charity is by doing Annadanam which is considered the highest form of giving. The Sanskrit word Annadanam means the act of offering or sharing (danam) of food (annam). This has always been a component of Indian spiritual tradition and culture. 

Feed with Akshaya Patra this Akshaya Tritiya

As Akshaya Tritiya is considered one of the most auspicious days in the Hindu calendar to do an act of charity, a contribution for school meals of children from challenging socio-economic backgrounds can significantly transform their lives. The provision of freshly cooked, hot, healthy and locally palatable school meals by Akshaya Patra is a potential intervention in ensuring the health and education of children. 

How donating to Akshaya Patra makes an impact

• It opens the gates of school for children
• It boosts their health with adequate nutrition
• It supports regular schooling and improves academic performance
• It ensures the completion of education by boosting retention
• It encourages them to pursue their dreams

This Akshaya Tritiya, you can feed the children by contributing to Akshaya Patra's PM POSHAN Programme. Donations to Akshaya Patra are tax exempted under Section 80G of the Indian Income Tax Act. Upon successful transaction of your donation, you will instantly receive the donation receipt and tax exemption certificate for your donated amount in your inbox.

Care for those who cared for us: feed the homeless mothers

 Women are the embodiment of unconditional love, care and compassion. 

However, widows are often the forgotten, marginalised members of society. Some of them either leave their homes or are abandoned by their families and have to fend for themselves. 

Today, many of them have found solace and companionship in the supportive community of ashrams in Vrindavan. They provide a safe and comfortable living environment for the widows, many of whom were previously struggling to make ends meet. 

With the support of the government, non-profit entities and the ashram community, these women can now live with dignity and access the resources they need to live healthy and fulfilling lives. But more work needs to be done to support these women in the areas of healthcare and social bonding. 

There are many ways in which we can help. 

• We can visit the ashrams and spend time with the widows. Many of them have been isolated for years. Spending time with them and showing them compassion can go a long way towards improving their quality of life. Visitors can also bring gifts or donations such as clothing, blankets or food.  
  
  
• We can spread awareness of the issues that they face. By sharing their stories and advocating for their rights, we can help break down the stigma and discrimination that many of them endure.  
  
  
• We can donate to organisations that support widows. Today, many top NGOs in India are providing resources and assistance to these women through their dedicated programmes. Donations to these charities go towards sponsoring healthcare, education and skill building and other vital services that these women need to thrive. Today, supporting these NGOs has become easier with online donations. 

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is one of the top NGOs in India that began the initiative to serve freshly cooked and nutritious meals every day in the ashrams caring for widowed mothers. These meals help them spend a healthy retired life and learn new skills to maintain a productive lifestyle and better mental state.

Feed the Homeless Mothers

These elderly women spent their lives nurturing their families. Today, they need your support. You can provide them the care and nourishment they deserve through online donations.

Consider supporting Akshaya Patra to feed the homeless mothers and help these women lead comfortable, healthy and fulfilling lives in the ashrams. By taking action and supporting them in whatever way we can, we can help to create a brighter future for all.