Page 14 - The Indian EYE - 112020
P. 14

North                      The Indian Eye

                               AmERIcANnewsline






         14                                                                                                                       NOVEMBER 20, 2020

               Akshaya Patra Foundation Gratitude Gala




             “nris can help by spreading the word about



         our mission, joining our events and be a part of



                 our efforts to alleviate childhood hunger”





           Foundation runs 55 kitchens in 12 states and 2 Union territories in india to prepare

                               and deliver food to over 1.8 million children in india per day




        Our Bureau                                                                                                    in an interview with  the  in-

        New York, NY                                                                                                  dian eye, the foundation de-
                                                                                                                      scribed in detail its mission
                 kshaya Patra began its                                                                               and objectives. excerpts:
                 operations in the year
        A2000 with serving 1,500                                                                                          What  is  the  main  mission  of
        meals to a small group of local                                                                               Akshay Patra?
        schools. With the vision to elim-                                                                                 Akshaya Patra’s vision is
        inate classroom hunger, Aksha-                                                                                that “No child in India shall be
        ya Patra has since expanded to                                                                                deprived of education because
        running 55 kitchens in 12 states                                                                              of hunger.” Our Mission Is to
        and 2 Union Territories in India                                                                              feed 5 million children each day
        to prepare food and operate a                                                                                 by 2025. At Akshaya Patra, we
        fleet of 800 vehicles that deliver                                                                            dream of a world where families
        food for that feed over 1.8 mil-                                                                              won’t have to choose between
        lion children in India per day.                                                                               food and education for their
            Akshaya Patra is able to pro-                                                                             children. A wholesome meal
        vide school lunches at the cost                                                                               prompts children, especially
        of US$20 per child for an en-                                                                                 girls, to  stay out of the work-
        tire academic year.  Nearly 100                                                                               force and attend school there-
        million children rely on school                                                                               by addressing both classroom
        lunches  in India.  Akshaya Pa-                                                                               hunger and education. With the
        tra and innovation stands out in                                                                              continued kindness of donors
        its commitment  to  quality and                                                                               and supporters, Akshaya Patra
        food safety, and an intentional                                                                               will meet its goal to serve more
        operational strategy that con-                                                                                children throughout India.
        siders the environment, local                                                                                     This year, due to the pan-
        food supply chairs and aligns to                                                                              demic,  Akshaya  Patra  also
        the United Nations Sustainable                                                                                played an important role in
        Development Goal.                                                                                             providing humanitarian food
            The Akshaya Patra Foun-                                                                                   assistance to communities that
        dation celebrates its 20th Anni-                                                                              were disproportionately af-
        versary by holding its Gratitude                                                                              fected. Since the nationwide
        Gala on Saturday, November  Consul General of India, Dr.  ing  its  20th birthday  in  2020!”                 lockdown on March 23rd, with
        21. To close out the year, Aksha- Rachana  Kulkarni, MD, Car- Vandana Tilak, President of Ak-                 the support from partners and
        ya Patra’s Gratitude Gala will be  diologist, and Akshaya Patra  shaya Patra Foundation, stated.              donors, Akshaya Patra began
        their seventh virtual gala. It will  Board member. Also, guests  “We have been entrusted with                 providing prepared meals and
        feature an incredible line-up of  will enjoy an exclusive concert  a very crucial responsibility to           also grocery kits to men, wom-
        speakers such  as Actress and  by talented singer and compos- feed children in India, and our                 en and children.  We have since
        Politician Hema Malini, Poet  er Shankar Mahadevan.                      donors are standing by us more       provided over 100 million meals
        Javed Akhtar, Randhir Jaiswal,          “Akshaya Patra is celebrat- than ever.”                                      Continued at next page... >>


                                                               www.TheIndianEYE .us
   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19