‘Natural disasters may destroy great cities…’
Every year, states and cities of India experience natural disasters. And this time of the year, it is Uttarakhand and the cities of Tamil Nadu that suffered during the floods. It is a pitiable sight to see the plight of families affected by the wrath of nature. It has caused loss of lives, property damage and injuries to many people. To provide flood relief to victims who suffer without food and shelter. The governments of the respective states are doing their best to assist such families and individuals. Many individuals were evacuated from the flooded areas to relief centres run by certain groups or NGOs.

Help from NGOs in India
To ensure that flood relief reaches every individual in need, non-profit organisations took it upon themselves to feed and protect them. The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an NGO in India that has partnered with the Central Government, State Governments and District Authorities to provide food relief to flood victims.

Akshaya Patra’s flood relief in Chennai in 2021
Chennai – the manufacturing capital of India came to a standstill in one single night. Cars were submerged underwater, trees were uprooted and the city came to a standstill. Food relief centres and medical camps were opened up in various places. The Greater Chennai Corporation asked NGOs and corporate entities to take part in relief work. One such NGO that fed flood victims of Chennai was Akshaya Patra. Those in need in Puducherry and the surrounding districts received cooked meals and grocery kits. Apart from this, the NGO in India also supplied 10 tonnes of rice.

Akshaya Patra’s flood relief in Uttarakhand in 2021
Uttarakhand suffers from natural calamities like landslides, torrential rains, flash floods, etc. The erratic weather conditions make way for insecurity and adverse effects. Many people are left homeless, have lost livelihoods, and suffer huge losses. They have so much to think of – how they will rebuild their lives, how they will take care of their family, etc. The first thing on their mind is how do they survive?

The Akshaya Patra Foundation’s Gadarpur kitchen is currently cooking meals to support people who suffer in and around the surrounding areas of Rudrapur. Working in association with the Government of Uttarakhand, freshly cooked meals (khichdi/rice and dal) are provided to people in distress.

As the need to feed people in distress increases, Akshaya Patra continues to serve freshly cooked meals and kits to provide food assistance. Though the core service of this NGO in India is to serve mid-day meals to school children, it does not back off from cooking for disaster-struck victims of the country. It has earned the distinction of being the world’s largest NGO run school lunch programme, serving freshly cooked nutritious mid-day meals to over 1.8 million children in 19,039 schools of 13 states & 1 union territory of India.

Join hands with Akshaya Patra; donate online and support to help nutritious meals reach people in need.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is turning 21 on 11 November 2021. Since the inception of this organization, all efforts are put in to transform people’s lives – be it mid-day meal beneficiaries or any other individual in need. The journey to being known as one of the top NGOs in India was not easy for this organisation. Strategic partnerships, constant innovations, planned expansions, enhancement and continuous support has taken the NGO, the distinction of being the world’s largest NGO run school lunch programme.

Complying with the Indian Accounting Standards issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), every year an Annual Report with financial audits and statements are published and made available to stakeholders. Also, the NGO complies with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) that was adopted in 2008-2009. The organisation’s continuous efforts to maintain transparency has been recognized on various occasions.

A glimpse of Akshaya Patra’s 21 years of feeding
Before the onset of the pandemic, Akshaya Patra’s expertise in nutrition and innovative approach helped in ending classroom hunger for 1.8 million children studying in 19,039 Government and Government-aided schools, across 13 states and 1 union territory of India. Locally palatable mid-day meals are served to children from centralized and decentralized kitchens in 58 locations.

Constantly, for over 20 years, quality and food safety are of primary importance in all the kitchens of Akshaya Patra. To maintain the quality of meals, recipes across various locations are standardized. All efforts are taken to ensure that children not only have access to unlimited food for education in the form of mid-day meals but also to prescribed quantities of nutrition. Adopting and implementing Kaizen, CI Projects and Six Sigma methodologies, ensure quality on all terms.

During the times when people have struggled, Akshaya Patra has always stepped up to feed them and to help them build back their lives. This NGO in India has always responded proactively to several crises. Whether it was a flood, cyclone, or earthquake, as a responsible NGO, the Foundation has worked tirelessly within and outside the political boundaries of the country.

Below is a quick look at Akshaya Patra’s past relief activities

Akshaya Patra continuously strives to ensure that people from challenging backgrounds get meals to help them survive. With the help of Government partners, volunteers, individual donors and corporate partners, the Foundation has seen exponential growth in the last 21 years.

Donate online to be a part of the feeding initiatives of Akshaya Patra. Your online donations can feed not just mid-day meal beneficiaries but can satiate hunger in people coming from challenging socio-economic backgrounds.