Initially called the Joy of Giving Week, Daan Utsav is India’s ‘Festival of Giving’ that was launched in 2009. It is celebrated every year commencing on 2nd October and concluding on 8th October. Thousands of people have come, time and again, to give back to the society and the community.

“The simplest acts of kindness are by far more powerful than a thousand heads bowing in prayer.”
Mahatma Gandhi

People who want to involve themselves in philanthropic acts do every little thing possible from their end. They come up with many creative ways to lend a helping hand to support the cause closest to their heart.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought millions of people together to help those in need.
690 million people around the globe are affected by hunger. By the end of 2020, the COVID-19 crisis could further drive over 130 million more into chronic hunger.
NGO’s all over the world and in India have come forward to help people affected by the pandemic.

Akshaya Patra’s COVID-19 Food Relief Efforts
The Akshaya Patra Foundation began its COVID-19 Relief Service on 25th March 2020 and has served over 8.2-crore meals in the last six months. This NGO is currently serving freshly cooked meals and distributing grocery kits and happiness kits across India.

• Cooked meals
Freshly cooked, nutritious meals are provided to the poor and marginalised sections of the society. So far, a total of 4,92,78,886 meals have been served to daily-wage workers, labourers, needy people at old-age homes and night shelters. Nutritious meals upkeeps health and immunity of the needy.

• Grocery Kits
The pandemic resulted in economic slowdown and loss of jobs, leaving millions helpless. Neither they had any source of income nor enough savings to sustain themselves and their families.The distribution of grocery kits by the NGO have supported 8,27,545 families thus far.

• Happiness Kits
The Happiness Kits Programme was initiated to support the food and education of mid-day meal beneficiaries. Each happiness kit supports nutrition, immunity, hygiene and education of children. So far, a total of 40,551 mid-day meal beneficiaries have been benefitted.

Ways to contribute in this Joy of Giving Week 2020
Your contribution to Akshaya Patra will give hope to millions of people in this Daan Utsav 2020. You can support our cause and experience joy by:
• Donating online
• Being vocal on social media
• Conducting fundraising campaigns

This Daan Utsav, support people in need because “Happiness is not a goal. It is a by-product of a life well-lived.” Eleanor Roosevelt.

Every day of school is synonymous with fun, friends and free unlimited food for children. They looked forward to coming to school because they get to meet their friends, narrate experiences of the previous day and sit together to eat their mid-day meals. With the on-going chaos caused by the COVID pandemic, schools, colleges and offices are shut down indefinitely. Children who were dependent on one source of wholesome meal a day were left without a wholesome source of nutrition to fight the virus.

Earlier during school, the sound of the delivery van brought on a 1000-watt smile on the faces of children. But, with schools closed down for a while, the delivery vans are left in their memories of children till schools reopen. If it was not for the COVID pandemic, children would have begun a new academic year and The Akshaya Patra Foundation would have continued implementing the Mid-Day Meal Scheme to feed children.

How did Akshaya Patra tackle this situation?
The COVID-19 virus could not stop The Akshaya Patra Foundation, an NGO in India that was synonymous with feeding school meals. In continuation of up-keeping the health of children and to engage them with school-related learning activities amid the pandemic, the Foundation started distributing Happiness Bags to its beneficiaries in Bengaluru, as a part of its feeding programme.

How would Happiness Bags help?

Each Box distributed to its beneficiaries:
• Ensures children continue to receive wholesome meals in the prevailing crisis.
• Boosts immunity and health of children.
• Ensures that basic hygiene requirements are addressed.
• Engages children in activities that support their continuous learning amid the lockdown.

Every Happiness Box supports the well-being of children by providing them with immunity, adequate nutrition, hygiene kit and learning materials.
• Nutrition – Adequate and right nutrition helps in giving children the energy required for proper physical and cognitive development.
• Immunity – Turmeric is known to boost immunity. Immunity boosters like sambar and turmeric powders help in improving resistance to diseases.
• Hygiene – Basic hygiene products like toothpaste, toothbrush and soap are provided to the beneficiaries. For girl children, a pack of sanitary napkins is provided as well.
• Education – To keep their minds active during the lockdown, an activity book, pencils or pens, crayon or colouring set and Classmate notebooks are packed in the box distributed to every child.

By supporting their food and education, we at Akshaya Patra look forward to bringing out the best in children because they are the ones who decide the future of our nation. This is why this initiative is of utmost importance. We are present in 52 locations spread across 12 States and 2 Union Territories of India. The pandemic has given us a strong reason to reach out to all the children we would have reached otherwise. Children hailing from challenging socio-economic backgrounds require your support. Pledge to feed a child with Akshaya Patra’s Happiness Box initiative. Every little child has the right to food and education, even amid the crisis hour. All we need to do is give the right resources to strengthen them and their cognitive abilities.

Provide Happiness Bags to help children become physically stronger and intellectually sharper