Posts tagged feeding

FFL in Ecuador

Mar 5th

FFL Ecuador team serving pure food

January 2012 – Winter season came to Ecuador bringing torrential rains and suffocating waves of heat. However, the radical weather patterns were not enough to deter the FFL volunteers from Guayaquil, Ecuador. Taking time out from their busy family lives and business, the volunteers consistently devote time to the service others.

Over 500 people were waiting in the town of El Consuelo to experience the prasadam from Food for Life. The journey there from the FFL kitchen in Guayaquil takes almost two hours. Nonetheless, the volunteers enjoyed the spectacular scenery, watching the dramatic landscapes unfold before them, bedecked with flowers of all colors and lush green vegetation responding to the winter rainfalls. The journey took a little longer than anticipated and so some of the families went home. However, the FFL team immediately went to community leaders to announce from house to house of their arrival. Making use of the bells of a beautiful church, a large crowd once again gathered for lunch! Buckets of delicious vegan rice and lentil stew, pastries and herbal teas were being passed children and adults. The smiles and words of praise kept coming and mental images will last in our memory forever.

The following week, hundreds of others were the beneficiaries of a traditional vegan rice and lentil stew, fried sweets, and aromatic teas, prepared just hours before by a group of enthusiastic FFL volunteers.

Many members of the community and of other organisations join the FFL Ecuador team each week for the experience of distributing free vegan lunches. Some weeks, due to budget constraints, the FFL Ecuador team is only able to feed 300 people, but the joy of helping even a few people with a warm plate of food prepared with love is amazing! Our small gesture of kindness, melts the hearts of everyone and soon their love comes back to use in the form of hugs, laughter and finally running after our car as we try to leave!

Recently, the Addictions Rehabilitation Centre (ACE prison) was chosen as the place to serve our vegan meals. With the help of volunteer Jimmy Cassinelli, we were welcomed by the authorities and inmates of the place. This time, FFL cooks made a special menu of delicious fried rice with an equally rich chili sauce and aromatic drinks. At least 50 inmates enjoyed the experience of pure food made with love.

Information for this report and photos provided by Gopi Gandharvica

FFL Volunteers

To learn more about FFL in Ecuador, see their blog

Ecuador, feeding, Food for Life, Food Relief, hunger, ISKCON, prasadam, South America, vegan, volunteering

Food for Life in Japan – Week 4

May 10th

Posted by The Food Yogi in News

FFL Japan serving meals in Japan

May 8th, Sunday (Miyagi, Japan) – FFL Global in Japan once again served two delicious vegetarian curries, paratha (flatbread), salad, cakes, and hot rice to more than 550 Japanese survivors in Miyagi. The program was sponsored by IJAJ (Indian Jewelry Association of Japan).

“Our plan is to continue this effort unabated,” said FFL Director for Japan, Shrikant Shah. “Next week we plan to deliver hot meals for 700 people, along with 1,500 kgs of fresh fruits and vegetables, including Oranges (600 pieces), Apple (600 pieces), Grapefruits (600 pieces), Bananas (1,000 pieces), Mikan (600 pieces), Kiwi (300 pieces), Lettuce (100 pieces), Cucumber (30 kg), Spinach (100 packs), Cabbage (100 pieces), Tomatoes (720 pieces), and Cauliflower (100 pieces).”

“The Agarwal Group and Hindi Sabha Group have already pledged to support this large task next week,” said Shah. “However, in order to keep this momentum, we are appealing for more people to come forward and sponsor Food for Life’s work.”

Once again, Hari-san and Manoj-san from Govinda’s restaurant in Tokyo were key players in last Sundays effort, providing the curries and rice. “The curries were so tasty, that people kept coming for second helpings,” explained Shah.

The hundreds of masala paratha (flatbreads) were meticulously prepared by volunteers from the Okachimachi community. The delicious desserts and salad were prepared by FFL volunteer, Yamuna Dasi and others.

Kaori-san and Ishigaki-san once more conducted Karada yoga to help the Japanese survivors deal with stress.

Suresh, Purnima, Jatin, Mitesh, and Sachin Kalse provided vehicles for the more than 25 volunteers.

Local radio station (FM RADIO 92.5) attended the feeding and interviewed the organisers.

Other volunteers included: Sanjivji Gupta, Rashmiji, Suresh, Kaori-san, Ishigaki-san, Sachin-san, Ram-san, Reddy-san, Jatin, Manoj-san, Navneet-san, Mitesh, Brijesh, Purnima, Nilaji, Manoj-san, Julie, Joseph, Rakesh and Hetal.

FFL Volunteers serving vegetarian meals

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

An enormous effort is involved in procuring, preparing, and distributing the food. Food for Life Japan is appealing for help with shopping, packing, cutting vegetables, cooking, and cleaning, as well as donations in kind and/or cash.

WHERE CAN YOU SEND YOUR OFFERING?

Donations of produce or personal supplies may be delivered at the ISKCON Temple in Funabori, Japan.

(ISKCON New Gaya Japan)
2-23-4 Funabori, Edogawa-ku,
Tokyo – 134-0091

Phone: 03-3877-3000
Mobile: 080-5412-2528,
080-5405-8977,
080-3753-5097

ONLINE DONATIONS

Donate directly to Food for Life Japan
Donate through Food for Life Global – Emergency Fund (tax deductible with the USA)

Emergency Relief

Donate to the Food for Life Global emergency fund to help FFLG coordinate disaster relief when the need arises. We are currently sending all emergency donations to Japan.