We are organizing a relief effort on Saturday to assist 800 residents of Óbuda. Through these food donations, we aim to help ease the burden of extra Christmas and winter expenses, primarily for families and elderly people who are at risk of losing their homes, falling into debt, or facing inadequate living conditions.
Our “Food for Life” Foundation, the humanitarian organization of the Krishna devotees, will hold a Christmas food distribution tomorrow, December 14, in Óbuda. For more than 10 years now, we have been organizing this relief effort for families in need in the 3rd District during the weeks leading up to the holidays. During the event, we will distribute 900 holiday lunch meals (main course, dessert, tea, and fresh baked goods) and 800 generously stocked food packages to those who attend. The packages include non-perishable foods such as oil, flour, sugar—enough to cook for themselves for weeks—as well as special treats like dates, raisins, and cornflakes, which are a rarity on most families’ tables. On each occasion, guests are invited to the food distribution by the Óbuda Family Counseling and Child Protection Center. Participating in this collaborative program are Dr. László Kiss, mayor of the Óbuda-Békásmegyer Municipality, as well as the Hungarian Maltese Charity Service’s mobile medical clinic; the latter assists arriving patients by issuing prescriptions and identifying minor health issues.
Our Food for Life Foundation distributes hot meals every weekday to residents in need in the district, and we also regularly provide them with food from the donations we receive to accompany their lunch. Twice a year—on Children’s Day and at Christmas—we welcome our guests with special events. The Óbuda Family Assistance Project began as a pilot program, as this was the first district in the capital where, in cooperation with the family support service, we were able to reach those in need for whom daily food donations provide a lifeline and a sense of security in their struggle to survive and avoid losing their homes. On the one hand, food is one of the largest expenses for families; on the other hand, it is the household item where savings can most easily be made—yet this often comes at the expense of both the quality of the food consumed and the family’s overall health. In addition to rising housing costs, many families clearly struggle to put healthy and sufficient food on the table, and our organization aims to provide assistance and support in this regard.
You can read about the Food for Life Foundation’s nationwide Advent campaigns here: https://krisna.hu/2019/december-24-26-etelt-az-eletert-karacsonyi-szeretetlakoma/