Food for Life Global facts for kids
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| Founded | 1974 |
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| Founder | Paul Rodney Turner |
| Type | Charity |
| Focus | World hunger and equality |
| Location |
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| Origins | Was first founded in Potomac, MD, in 1995; however, it has roots dating back to 1974 |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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Juliana Castaneda, Steve Manz |
Food for Life Global is a non-profit organization that helps people by providing vegan food. It was started in 1995 to be the main office for all Food for Life projects around the world. The idea for Food for Life began in 1974 within a group called ISKCON.
Food for Life Global is an independent charity. It supports Food for Life projects both inside and outside of ISKCON. Its network includes 291 groups in over 65 countries. Volunteers give out more than 1 million free meals every day. Food for Life helps people who are hungry, including those who are homeless. They also provide food for children in India and for people affected by natural disasters.
The Food for Life project started in India. It aims to bring back an old tradition from Vedic culture. This tradition is about being kind and helpful to people in need. The first Food for Life effort began in 1974 in Mayapur, India. It was part of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. In 1995, the main office opened in Maryland, United States. This helped the project grow. Later, it moved to Slovenia for a short time. In 2017, it moved back to Delaware, United States.
Contents
How Food for Life Started
The idea for Food for Life came from an elderly Indian teacher named A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He was the founder of ISKCON. In 1974, he saw some village children fighting with street dogs for food scraps. This made him very sad. He told his students, "No one near our temple should go hungry." He asked them to start serving food right away.
Because of his request, ISKCON members and volunteers worldwide began to help. They created a global network of kitchens, cafes, and mobile food services. These groups provide free food every day in many big cities. Since that day, Food for Life has become the world's largest vegan food relief group. Giving out special plant-based meals is a key part of India's old tradition of kindness. This tradition is where Food for Life began.
Food for Life volunteers serve over 1,000,000 free plant-based meals daily. They deliver food to schools, from mobile vans, and to disaster areas. Food for Life Global is now the largest food relief network in the world. It is even bigger than the United Nations World Food Programme.
Helping During Disasters
Food for Life volunteers have helped many people during recent disasters. They provide food for those who are poor or homeless.
- 2021 – They helped during the global COVID-19 pandemic. They gave out fresh meals in major cities worldwide.
- 2020 – FFL Honduras and FFL Costa Rica served vegan meals. This was for people who survived Hurricane ETA.
- 2017 – FFL Mexico gave thousands of vegan meals. This was after a big earthquake in Mexico.
- 2015 – Food for Life Nepal provided over 100,000 vegan meals. This was after the April 2015 Nepal earthquake.
- 2013 – Food for Life helped people after Cyclone Phailin in India. They also helped after Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.
- 2008 – Food For Life served fresh vegan meals. This was for people who survived Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike in the southern United States.
- 2007 – Volunteers helped hundreds of thousands of people. These people lost their homes after a cyclone hit Bangladesh.
- 2005 – After an earthquake in Pakistan, Food For Life volunteers worked with local helpers. They gave out water, food, tents, and blankets.
- 2005 – When Hurricane Katrina hit, Food For Life volunteers were among the first to help. They gave up to 800 fresh meals daily. This was for families in Mississippi and Texas.
- 2004 – 2005 – A huge Tsunami caused damage in South Asia. Many people died. Food For Life volunteers helped on the day of the disaster. They gave thousands of meals daily. They also provided medical care, clothes, and shelter in Sri Lanka and India.
- 1990s – Food For Life volunteers risked their lives in war zones. They helped in Chechnya, Bosnia, and Abkhazia. They gave food to people who were scared and in need.
In total, Food for Life Global has given out more than 8 billion meals since it started.
Food for Life has also started other projects. These include eco-projects like Govardhana Eco Village. They also support orphanages like Gokulam – Bhaktivedanta Children’s Home in Sri Lanka. This home gives children food, shelter, medical care, and education. Another project is Juliana's Animal Sanctuary in Colombia. It is a farm sanctuary that won an award in 2021.
COVID-19 Relief Efforts
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many Food for Life Global groups helped. Even with lockdowns, they provided fresh vegan meals. They helped people in need and first responders. This happened in places like India, Russia, Ukraine, England, Argentina, Brazil, and Australia.
Helping in War Zones
In the war zone of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, volunteers visited many places daily. They went to orphanages, homes for the elderly, and hospitals. They also visited shelters during the three-year conflict. They gave out about 20 tons of food since 1992.
In a New York Times article from 1995, volunteers in Chechnya were praised. People said they were like saints because of their help.
After the 2004 Tsunami
Food for Life was the first food relief group to help after the tsunami in December 2004. On the day the tsunami hit, monks at an ISKCON temple in Chennai, India, were making food. When they heard about the disaster, they quickly went to the affected areas. They started serving thousands of people their pre-made vegetable curry. For the next six months, Food for Life volunteers gave over 350,000 fresh meals. They also provided medical care, water, clothes, and shelter for children.
Hurricane Katrina Response
Food for Life Global Volunteers helped after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. They gave vegan meals to families who moved to Mississippi and Texas. They served up to 800 meals every day.
Pakistan Earthquake Aid
Volunteers from different cities in India came together. They helped people affected by the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan. They loaded trucks with drinking water, rice, bread, and blankets.
Food for Life Global's Work
Food for Life Global (FFLG) was started in 1995 in Maryland, USA. It closed its offices in 2014. Then, it reopened in Slovenia in 2015. It continued to be the main office for all Food for Life projects. In 2017, the Slovenian office closed. A new main office was set up in Wilmington, Delaware, USA.
FFLG does many important things:
- They help organize and expand the giving out of special plant-based meals. This is for people who are disadvantaged, hungry, or victims of disasters worldwide.
- They create materials to help Food for Life projects grow.
- They share information about Food for Life with governments, news groups, and the public.
- They promote the idea of kindness and spiritual equality around the world.
- They raise money to support Food for Life projects globally.
- They help show that pure food, made with love, can bring peace and unity.
- They organize and support emergency vegan relief efforts by volunteers.
Vegan Policy
When Food for Life first started, it provided vegetarian food. But in 1998, Food for Life Global made a new rule. They decided to only support Food for Life projects that served vegan meals. This means no animal products are used.
See also
In Spanish: Food for Life para niños
- ISKCON
- Srila Prabhupada
- List of vegetarian organizations
Images for kids
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Food for Life Global logo
