Call it Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Yugadi, Thapna, Sajibu Nongma Panba, Cheti Chand or any other name you want, but the essence of this day remains the same. It is the day celebrated as New Year in different communities. Every one of us welcomes this 2021 on a positive note, hoping for good health, wealth, prosperity and safety.

This year is all about doing things differently. How can we celebrate this Ugadi in a slightly different manner?

• Go online shopping
A new festival is all about shopping for new clothes. Bright coloured clothes are a part of each house on every Ugadi. Young parents gift their children, and older children gift clothes to their parents. Since going out shopping for the whole family is risky at this stage, shop online as many e-commerce platforms offer festive discounts.

• Prepare delicacies
Festive treats are a part of every celebration. As children, do you remember slyly going into the kitchen to grab the sweets your mom prepared? Enjoy making the same dishes and eating them with your family.

• Offer your prayers
Commence this New Year by seeking the blessings of God. Pray for the health and safety of your family and everybody else on this planet. Worshipping God gives you inner peace and calms your mind, body and soul.

• Virtually meet your friends & family
Visiting friends and relatives was a regular part of the celebrations. However, this year, you have to be more careful and responsible. The whole world is going digital, then why not make digital media a part of your celebrations? Dress up, get ready, put on your new clothes, call up your elders and relatives to take their blessings.

• Make gifting a part of your celebrations
A festival is incomplete without gifting. Gift special items to your family members. But, many people do not have the comfort of life as we all do. People struggle without food and children without food and education. So, as a change this year, why not donate to an NGO to feed the needy people?

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a non-profit organisation that implements the Mid-Day Meal Programme in 52 locations spread across 12 states and 2 union territories of India. By providing unlimited food for education to school children studying in Government and Government-aided schools, it aims to mitigate classroom hunger.

Why should you donate to Akshaya Patra on this Ugadi?
Giving is a part of the festive season. Donate to Akshaya Patra to make a difference for children and society on the whole.
• Your donation of ₹1100 takes care of their nutritional requirements for one full academic year
• Your contribution helps in eliminating classroom hunger and helps children to concentrate better in class
• When your support helps children by improving their ability to focus, you are upholding their education too
• Mid-day meals are an incentive for children to come to school every day, thereby increasing their attendance rate and school retention rate
• As children come to school daily for their share of school meals, they have a lesser tendency to stop coming to school. This helps in reducing school dropout rates.

With your one donation, you can make a world of a difference to the future of the nation. Go digital in your celebrations this Ugadi. Support children’s food, dreams and education with Akshaya Patra.

Schools have started reopening after a long pause resulted from the pandemic. Various precautionary measures are taken by schools and institutions to ensure the safety of children and teaching staff. A few of them are anxious, while the rest of them have been relieved to be back to a place that was so close to their hearts.

The Education Ministry has laid down a few guidelines for schools to re-open:
• Wearing masks is compulsory for all the students, teachers and staff.
• Strict hand hygiene routines should be followed.
• Children will sit six feet apart from each other.
• Sharing of books, toys and food will be prohibited.

After almost half a year, children are happy to be back to schools, meet their friends and teachers, clear doubts while they are physically present in school and to eat their mid-day meals again.

Resuming service of the Mid-Day Meal Programme
The Akshaya Patra Foundation, an NGO in India has resumed serving nutritious mid-day meals to children who are back to Government and Government-aided schools after the pandemic. Hygiene and safety are given primary importance while preparing these meals. The kitchens and vessels are sterilised and sanitised while employees sanitise their hands and wear safety gear like gloves, masks, kitchen boots and headgears.

Food and quality checks are conducted at every stage of the preparation of meals. Mandatory routines are followed by each member of the kitchen staff. Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) are implemented in all the kitchens of the organisation. All cutting boards, knives, rice cauldrons, trolleys, rice chutes, dal/sambar tanks, and other instruments are sanitised before usage every single day. Temperature checks are carried out at each stage to ensure that children receive hot food.

Once these meals reach the schools, children thoroughly wash their hands while following social distance norms. Clean plates are distributed to ensure that children comfortably enjoy their food. Currently, the Foundation has begun serving school meals to mid-day meal beneficiaries in the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Assam. Locally palatable meals are served in Kandi, Narsingi, Nawabpet, Kuppam, Gorakhpur, Guwahati, Kakinada, Nellore, Lucknow, Vrindavan, Vizag, Mangalagiri, Srikakulam, Gudivada, Ghambiram and Vijayawada.

You can donate online to support Akshaya Patra in feeding mid-day meal beneficiaries. Your tax exemption donations ensure that children get hot, nutritious and hygienically prepared food. After the pandemic, children look forward to gaining their source of nutrition that they had access to earlier.

Your online donations can feed children for one full year at Rs.1100.