Thank you for taking interest in the food relief program organized by Bhaktivedanta International Charities. To contact us, please fill out the form below. For future correspondence, please note our email address: bvashram {at} gmail.com

This month we were approached by Mr. Victor, the principal of Mandal Parishad Primary School in the rural village of Jonnavalasa, Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh. He heard of our ashram's food distribution programs in Vizianagaram and requested us to do something for the children in his school. Already the children receive daily meals from the government, through the national mid-day meal program, so we asked in what way we could be of assistance. He replied that the children could use school uniforms, as their families cannot afford them. [Video Inside]

We are happy to inform you that the Bhaktivedanta Ashram has recently begun food distribution programs in Andhra Pradesh. Currently we are conducting the activities throughout Vizianagaram district based from our ashram located in Vizianagaram, in the North of Andhra Pradesh. In the initial stages we are planning to distribute food 15 times a month in various tribal villages within 100 kilometers of our ashram.

Enclosed are some recent photographs of a program for 300 children at Bhadrak Primary School. We have begun distribution of school supplies to poor students in rural areas who are unable to afford their own. We do not want children to feel discouraged from studying due to the expenses involved in purchasing basic things like notebooks, pens and school uniforms.

Below are a few recent photos of the food distribution program we are conducting in the village of Ulanga. Ulanga is a small village located around 5 km from our relief center in Randiya. Like Randiya, it is also an adivasi (tribal) village. We humbly request you to keep the children of Ulanga in your daily prayers.

In our previous newsletter we showed you pictures and a video of the children of Randiya and the weekly food distribution we conduct in that village. For the new year we thought it would be nice to give these children a small gift that they could really relate to, something that would allow them to just be children for a day. [Video Inside]

Randiya is a very poor rural village located around 20 km away from our main Ashram in Orissa. The village consists of people from the adivasi (tribal) community. Around two years ago, the Bhaktivedanta Ashram opened a relief center here and began regular distribution of free meals to more than 300 children of the village. Since that time we have been able to distribute over 44,000 meals to these wonderful children. [Video Inside]

Another village has been added to our food relief program in Orissa. The village of Ugalpur is located around 6 kilometers outside of Bhadrak. Here are a few photos of the children from this village and the recent food distribution. We have also included a three minute video clip at the top of the page. [Video Inside]

This month we have begun food distribution in a new village, Bagurai Leprosy Colony, located a few kilometers outside of Bhadrak, in Orissa. As the name implies, most of the children in the village have parents affected by leprosy. This makes it even harder for their families to earn money, and take care of the children properly. We are trying to provide a little help in the form of spiritual food, so that the children can at least receive a few nourishing meals.

The last few months have been a time of increased activity for us. In September, a renewal of monsoon rains led to severe flooding throughout Orissa, leaving more than 1.5 million people homeless in the state. Every year Orissa seems to bear the brunt of monsoon flooding in India, but this year it was even more so, with miles and miles of land submerged under water.