Chairman's Message

Food is a basic necessity for the sustenance of life. It is said that a healthy body leads to a healthy mind. One balanced meal a day will not only satiate hunger but also provide the required nutrition to the body and ensure the holistic well-being of people. It is truly unfortunate that about 10% of the world’s population goes to bed hungry every night.

According to the World Health Organization, after the COVID-19 pandemic, around 2.33 billion people across the globe are facing severe hunger and food insecurity. Although hunger is a physical sensation, it also affects people’s mental and emotional health. Studies have proven that hunger is one of the major causes of depression, anxiety, stress and cognitive impairment.

Food distribution is a virtuous act and the highest form of charity. Compassion for fellow beings is a basic tenet of all religions, philosophies and cultures. Although there is an economic divide between the rich and the poor, we can bridge this gap by unleashing the compensating force of compassion in the hearts of the rich. It is only by promoting and awakening this virtue of compassion and turning it into action in human society that we can make this world more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable.

We started various food programmes in India that have catered to the needs of people from all walks of life. All our programmes and initiatives are inspired by Srila Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of ISKCON, who envisioned that no one within a ten-mile radius of our centre should go hungry. Today, our Akshaya Patra initiative has been recognised as the world’s largest not-for-profit school lunch programme. Our other feeding initiatives also play a major role by ensuring food and nutrition security for millions of people in the country.

We extended our feeding programmes outside India to serve the needy people in the United Kingdom. Our beneficiaries include children, students and homeless people across the country since our first international kitchen was set up.

We have established Global Food For Hunger Inc. for the benefit of our fellow beings worldwide. We are committed to fulfilling Srila Prabhupada’s desire that no one should go hungry by extending our food assistance initiatives to other countries. We plan to initiate our feeding programmes for homeless residents, migrants and other needy communities in New York shortly.

Our dedicated team works tirelessly to ensure that the food served to people is of the highest quality. Every process, beginning from procuring raw materials to the delivery of cooked meals, is done with utmost care. The smiles of contentment on the faces of our beneficiaries have been our greatest motivation to continue our service to humanity.

We are confident that our programmes will significantly impact the quality of life of people, especially disadvantaged communities, on a global scale. We aspire to extensively contribute to the United Nations’ goal of Zero Hunger through our efforts.

I invite everyone, including individuals, philanthropists, trusts and corporates, to join hands with us and actively participate in our endeavour to make a difference in as many lives as possible. Together, let us create a happy, healthy and hunger-free world.

Madhu Pandit Dasa
Chairman, Global Food For Hunger, Inc.
Founder and Chairman, The Akshaya Patra Foundation
President, ISKCON Bangalore