In October, our foundation’s team from Pécs visited the Pécsbányai Temporary Shelter for Families, where, in addition to distributing non-perishable food packages and toys, they treated the families living there—who are facing difficult circumstances—to a vegetarian feast prepared together.
Fall has arrived, and damp, cool days are creeping into our daily lives. The life-giving rays of the sun caress our faces less and less often, and our moods are also up and down. Yet, amid the grayness of October, we’ve managed to bring a little joy into people’s hearts and put a smile on their worried faces.
On October 3, the enthusiastic Pécs team from the Food for Life Foundation visited the temporary shelter for families in Pécsbánya. Our plan was to introduce the families living there to the preparation of delicious, healthy, easy-to-make, and—last but not least—inexpensive vegetarian meals through an exciting group cooking session.
At first, we were met with suspicious glances; there were only one or two volunteers who stepped forward to help with the preparations and the cooking. Seeing all the hustle and bustle—and, of course, drawn in by the delicious aromas wafting through the air—our team grew larger and larger, and soon the somber kitchen was filled with the sound of cheerful laughter. A crowd of curious onlookers watched our activities intently. The menu consisted of the following: Kitri (Indian vegetable stew), breaded pumpkin and seitan, vegetable patties, served with mashed potatoes and puri (flatbread). Desserts were a must, and this time they consisted of halava (a hot fruit and seed pudding) and cherry sponge cake.
By the time the lavish feast was ready, quite a crowd had gathered—more than half of the 20 families living there were present. Seeing their satisfied faces as they enjoyed their meal, we knew we had succeeded. While cooking, we were careful with the unfamiliar spices, using less of them than we were accustomed to, but we were surprised to find that the parents—and especially the children—enthusiastically embraced the new flavors.
The atmosphere was palpably peaceful, and our volunteers engaged in interesting conversations with the families about our spiritual culture and the mysteries of a vegetarian diet. At the end of the program, we distributed care packages containing non-perishable food items to the participants, including flour, yellow peas, pasta, jam, as well as milk and apples. We gave the children small animal figurines, dolls, board games, colored pencils, and coloring books as gifts. We also set aside some of everything for those who were not at home.
Our experiences during the community cooking events and the numerous positive comments we received from participants have encouraged us to continue this type of charitable activity. With that in mind, we have already reached out to the managers of the following potential venues.
