According to our calculations, in 2014 we distributed nearly 500,000 meals and several metric tons of non-perishable food, vegetables, and fruit to our fellow citizens in need nationwide.
Operated in the capital city our public food distribution In February, we moved to Ötvenhatosok Square in the 14th District, where we continued to serve hot meals to more than 500 people every weekday. In addition to lunch, those in need occasionally receive food to take home for dinner: baked goods, fruit, yogurt, sometimes vegetables, vitamins, etc. In total, approximately 150,000 meals were distributed in this way during 2014.
Family Support Worker As part of our program, we provided a hearty lunch, fruit, and dairy products five days a week to approximately 1,000 job seekers, retirees, and low-income families with many children each day. We operate this preventive service in two districts of Budapest—Districts III and VII—in cooperation with local social services offices and family support services. Thanks to this assistance, households are able to save money, which allows them to pay off debts and prevents the accumulation of overdue bills and the loss of their housing.
School Meal Program As part of our program, since the fall of 2011, we have provided 50 servings of a balanced meal five days a week to the children living in the Bokréta Residential Homes, which are operated by the Budapest Municipal Government. In addition, we have participated in numerous events and activities for children, where we supported the younger generation and their families with toys, sweets, and non-perishable food items—for example, by assisting summer campers and children with disabilities.
In 2014, several for priority food distribution took place. At Easter We distributed 1,300 meals and food packages to those in need. Children's Day On this occasion, we organized a free cultural program attended by 200 children, and we provided aid packages to the parents. At this year’s Óbuda Family Day, we supported more than 700 families in need and single individuals by providing them with hot meals and generous food packages. In addition, we welcomed children and their families facing difficult circumstances in District III with a variety of activities and arts-and-crafts workshops. The On World Food Day and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty In addition to the Krishna devotees, several other denominations joined the campaign. The participating churches supported the relief effort both through their personal presence and with monetary or food donations. The Hungarian Maltese Charity Service helped provide medical care to those in need by setting up a mobile clinic. At Christmas Nationwide, we donated approximately 6,500 meals or food packages, as well as warm clothing and toys, to underprivileged families.
Various youth groups have created an excellent opportunity for our main mission: food distribution events. In addition to EFOTT and OZORA, we were also present at the increasingly popular SUN Festival, where nearly 10,000 participants gathered from almost every corner of the world. We distributed thousands of servings of hot meals to hungry festivalgoers. Lunchtime provides a great opportunity to offer mental health support.
Emergency aid This time, we provided aid to the victims of the natural disaster that struck Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. With the donations we collected, we sent a four-person team to Sarajevo, where, working alongside local volunteers, they prepared and distributed a total of 6,000 servings of hot meals over the course of a few weeks to the population stranded in the villages of Central Bosnia, who were left without assistance.
Our Rural LocationsIn this regard, we provided assistance to those in need in Debrecen, Eger, and Pécs through regular food distributions, in cooperation with local social service providers. In Eger, we served hot lunches, baked goods, and fruit to 350 people daily, five days a week. At our Pécs location, in coordination with teachers, we distributed 50 food packages per month through schools to children from low-income families. In Győr, thanks to a few generous local business owners, quite a few families facing hardship also received a 13-kg package of non-perishable food. In smaller rural towns (Kerecsend, Cserépváralja, Hajdúhadház, etc.), we organized cultural days combined with food and package distributions—at these events, in addition to the aid packages, we placed the greatest emphasis on the children and their healthy emotional development.
Our foundation is affiliated with the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice Through its Probation Service In collaboration with others, we participate in the rehabilitation and community service programs for minors and young adults involved in minor offenses. We are able to introduce offenders referred to our foundation to a lifestyle based on strong moral and spiritual values, which can serve as a model for them. Together with our volunteers, they can function as part of a peaceful community based on mutual respect, experiencing firsthand that they, too, are capable of performing meaningful work that has a positive impact on the community.
Throughout the year, there were numerous cultural, culinary, youth, and social at an event, a professional gathering We represented our organization not only through publications and presentations, but also, of course, through our food. (Indian Culinary Day, Children’s Day events, Eger Festival and the Anti-Drug Festival, etc.)
Nearly 150 volunteers helped us with our day-to-day work and major initiatives throughout the year. In addition to helping organize food distributions during major campaigns, our volunteers also played a role in day-to-day operational tasks (transportation, fundraising, advertising, etc.).
Thank you to all our patrons and supporters for your support throughout the year!
