Bring change, donate for special occasion

Each of us like to do something different on our special days then why not choose to donate for special occasion? There are innumerable occasions we celebrate during the year. Be it birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, festivals, success parties and the list goes on. During these times we spend lavishly because we are capable of spending so much but would it hurt our pockets if we decide to spend some amount from our budget for the benefit of the underserved children? Hope not!

Donation for special occasion does not mean one has to contribute lump sum of money to a non-profit organisation in India or abroad. It is the intent and the potential behind the donation that counts. For example: if a donor donates Rs. 750 for special occasion towards The Akshaya Patra Foundation, a non-profit organisation in India implementing the mid-day meal scheme, then the donor is actually taking care of a child's school lunch for one whole year. How? The operational and administrative efficiency of Akshaya Patra allows the NGO to provide one wholesome meal per day to a child at a cost of just Rs. 750 for one whole year. This non-profit organisation in India has been implementing the mid-day meal scheme since 2000. Today, it serves freshly cooked nutritious mid-day meals to 1.4 million children across the entire country, every day.

As a transparency and accountability policy, this non-profit organisation in India regularly publishes its Annual Report for each financial year. Along with reporting the achievements, developments and plans for the next year, it religiously publishes all its audited financial statements and reports for its stakeholders. It accounts all the grants, subsidies and donations it has received to implement the mid-day meal scheme and how the fund was utilised. In the financial year 2013-14, Akshaya Patra's programme-wise break-up of cost is, 84% for the mid-day meal programme, 12% for programme management and 4 % for fund raising and communications. Among various communication awards, Akshaya Patra has become the first NGO to have been inducted to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India's (ICAI) Hall of Fame as a result of being the recipient of the Gold Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting for five consecutive years - a true testimony to the Foundation's transparent model of operation.

The beneficiaries of this non-profit organisation in India are young hearts studying in Government schools. They are children who cross all barriers to come to school because of their strong determination to change the future. The success stories will introduce you to children from across India who despite all odds has their dreams and aspirations just like any other child growing up amidst comforts. When you choose to donate for special occasion, you are actually acting upon to change one or more of these lives.

Donate for special occasion. The significance of charity will certainly give a new meaning to your celebration.

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NGO news: Akshaya Patra Annual Report wins SAFA Award

Non-Governmental Organisations across the globe work towards various causes. All these Non-Governmental Organisations certainly account their advancements and developments but not many accounts for their financial credibility. The Akshaya Patra Foundation annually publishes its financial statements and audit reports for all its stakeholders. This is one of the practices that the Foundation carries put as a part of its transparency policy.

Akshaya Patra was recently in NGO news for winning one of the most prestigious awards in the international forum. Akshaya Patra has won the SAFA Best Presented Annual Report Awards 2013 in the category of Non-Governmental Organizations. This annual report contest was adjudged by South Asian Federation of Accountants based on the criteria of Transparency, Accountability and Governance.  Akshaya Patra has won this award fifth time in a row. This NGO news about Akshaya Patra winning Annual Report Awards 2013 is a testimony to the Foundation’s financial accounting and transparency.

Read more about this NGO news at 5th win at SAFA Awards. Also for  our latest Annual Report 2013-14 click here.

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Akshaya Patra latest news: US Congresswoman visits Vrindavan kitchen

The Akshaya Patra’s latest news covers US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard’s visit to the Foundation’s Vrindavan kitchen unit. Tulsi Gabbard is a combat veteran and has served two combat tours to the Middle East one each in 2004 and 2009. Having been elected in 2012, Gabbard is the first American Samoan to be elected to the United States Congress and represents Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District. Gabbard currently serves on the Armed Forces, Foreign Affairs and Homeland Security Committees along with serving responsibilities as a Military Police Company Commander with the Hawaii Army National Guard.

During her recent visit to India, Gabbard visited Akshaya Patra’s kitchen unit at Vrindavan. She appreciated the overall work of the Foundation in providing mid-day meal to 1.4 million children across India and serving more than 130,000 children as a NGO in Vrindavan. The roti (Indian flat bread) making machine with the capacity to roll out up to 60,000 freshly cooked rotis per hour used by the NGO in Vrindavan indeed leave an impressive impression on her. The life changing stories of Akshaya Patra beneficiaries brought to fore the significance of the mid-day meal programme in eradicating hunger and malnutrition. Akshaya Patra was honoured to have received the opportunity to welcome and present a tour of its cause to such a distinguished visitor.

Click here for more such Akshaya Patra’s latest news.

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Mid-day meal strengthening dreams

There are various pointers that will prove the relevance and potential of the mid-day meal programme. With the support of Government of India and the State Governments along with the commitment of various NGOs, the mid-day meal programme has been able to reach the grass root level of the society. The Akshaya Patra Foundation is one such NGO. It provides mid-day meal across 23 locations in India and Puri is one among them. It began serving as a NGO in Puri way back in June 2006. Since then it has touched the young lives of more than 55,000 children studying across 648 Government schools.

There are many of NGO children stories that come to light when we converse with the beneficiaries of the mid-day meal programme. Here is the narration of one of the many NGO children stories.

She is Suchismita Nayak, a 9-year-old Grade IV student of Vijayanagar Project Primary School, Puri. She is calm and soft-spoken but with a very bold aspiration i.e. to become a Police Officer. She comes from a low income family where her father is a tea seller and mother adds to the family income by engaging in stitch work. She is the eldest of three siblings and brings the second born to school along with her. Her favourite subjects at schools are English and Social Science and she adds that she keeps herself updated with current affairs too. A beneficiary of Akshaya Patra mid-day meal, Suchismita relishes matar paneer (Peas and Cottage Cheese) and soya bean. To support children like her donate to Akshaya Patra.

These NGO children stories reveal that if these children receive the right guidance and support then each of them can achieve what they aspire. Click here to know more about this NGO in Puri.

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Mid-day meal donation for children

Mid-day meal programme has received an increased momentum following its success of giving children the goodness of food along with education. This being the reason the Government of India is supportive of and encouraging to the idea of more and more people getting involved for implementing this programme especially Non-Governmental Organisations. The Government provides its support to the implementing NGOs with subsidies and grants to run the programme.

The mid-day meal has been able to bring children to school and also retain them to complete basic education. The parents of the underserved children also understand the value of the mid-day meal for the growth of their children because more often than not this is the only wholesome and nutritious meal their children receive. This has been experienced by the mid-day meal programme implementing NGOs too. One such NGO is The Akshaya Patra Foundation that was started in Bangalore in the year 2000. Like other NGOs this NGO too depends upon the support of its benevolent donors along with the support received by the Government. Over the years, the Foundation has lived the significance of the contribution of donors towards mid-day meal donation for children.

The mid-day meal donation for children has enabled the Foundation to expand its operations to new locations by sustaining to provide regular mid-day meals to the children of the existing locations. It is the combined support from the Central Government of India and various State Governments along with philanthropic donation for children that allowed the Foundation to grow from feeding just 1,500 children of one location to feeding 1.4 million children across 23 locations of 10 states.

The mid-day meal donation for children when analysed actually supports the dual purpose of food and education. For the underserved children, it is certain that they come to school with the hope of receiving one nutritious meal. But, at the same time they also get benefitted by the lessons taught in the classroom. These lessons combined with healthy fresh food gradually build the interest of learning among children which eventually becomes their aspiration. Thus when a donor chooses to contribute mid-day meal donation for children, he or she is not only providing food but is also providing education that has the potential to break the recurring cycle of poverty-hunger-illiteracy.

A donor can choose to make a donation for children either through online mode or offline mode of donations depending upon his or her comfort and ease. Donate through cheque is one of the popular modes of offline donation. You can fill in your desired amount and send the signed cheque through post to the Akshaya Patra office address. A resident of Bangalore, Kolkata or Hyderabad who wishes to donate through cheque can also avail cheque pick up from their doorstep. Aside donate through cheque there are other means of contribution, click here to know more.

Provide food and education through mid-day meal donation!

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Beneficiary success stories of NGO in Hyderabad

The Akshaya Patra Foundation has been functioning as a NGO in Hyderabad since October 2008. During these its service of six years, this NGO in Hyderabad has been able to provide mid-day meals to more than 54,000 children covering more than 450 Government schools. The story and aspiration of each beneficiary is different but runs common is the ardent determination of the beneficiaries to come to school and achieve their dreams. Here is a snippet of one of such NGO success stories.

One of NGO success stories is of Kiran who is a cheerful Standard X student of Zilla Parishad High School in Kanukunta village, Jinnaram Mandal, Hyderabad.  Agriculture is the family occupation where both his parents along with his elder brother work as farmers. But, Kiran is determined to join the police force and serve the public. He is aware of the hard work involved to achieve his goal but is determined and confident to put his wholehearted commitment. He says after his Board exams he will pursue his further studies and write the IPS exam. Kiran is fluent in Telegu and opines that it is important to have language fluency in order to communicate well with public when he joins the police force. He also adds that mathematics is his favourite subject. Kiran is a happy Akshaya Patra beneficiary and says that he and his friends are very fond of the mid-day meal provided by the NGO.

There are many such stories of NGO in Hyderabad that reveal the power of a meal and education. Read them at NGO success stories. 

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Indian NGO gives an opportunity to contribute children charity online

Many Indian NGOs have come off age and realised that their web presence is as important as personal or one-on-one communication with donors and supporters. One such Indian NGO is The Akshaya Patra Foundation that has a dedicated team working to make its mark in the web world. This Indian NGO works in conjunction with the Government of India and various State Governments to implement the Mid-Day Meal Scheme. It was founded in June 2000 with the vision that 'No child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger'. The vision statement makes it clear that this Indian NGO does not just stop at providing free meal to the children of Government schools; rather it feeds children with the aim of sustaining hopes and aspirations of millions of underserved children.

Akshaya Patra operates as a NGO in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Gujarat. As NGO in Andhra Pradesh, Akshaya Patra feeds mid day meal in Visakhapatnam to 5,249 children covering 7 Government schools. Apart from serving mid-day meal at Government schools, it also serves mid day meal at Anganwadi centres in Visakhapatnam. Akshaya Patra started operating as a NGO in Andhra Pradesh since October 2008. It has a centralised kitchen unit at this location and with the help of customised delivery vehicles the NGO transports the freshly cooked mid day meals to schools and Angawadi centres in Visakhapatnam.

This Indian NGO receives support from Central Government of India and various State Governments in the form of grants and subsidies. It also receives support from individual and corporate donors. The details of the received grants and subsidies along with the donations from supporters can be availed in the Foundation's Annual Report 2013-14.

The Foundation maintains a policy of transparency and accountability and thus records and publishes its income expenditure regularly in the form of Annual Report at the end of each Financial Year for its stakeholders. Understanding the need of funds and the growing popularity of internet, this Indian NGO has strategically made its presence in the web world and allows donors to contribute towards children charity online. Through the medium of children charity online a donor can contribute towards the cause from the ease of his personal space at just a click of a button. Interestingly, the donor who contributes children charity online is also eligible for tax exemption benefits just like in the case of offline donation. Aside this benefit, this form of contribution is faster and easier too.

This Indian NGO makes its effort towards introducing the beneficiaries and their aspirations to the ones who sincerely support the cause of mid-day meal. Success Stories of NGO in Andhra Pradesh will bring across the good that comes about when you choose to care for the underserved children. Read them, know them and choose how you can contribute towards this Indian NGO.

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Mid-day meal programme in Assam

The mid-day meal programme has been one of the most promising initiatives of the Government of India. There are many NGOs that are working in conjunction with the Central Government and State Governments to implement and maximise the potential of the mid-day meal programme. The Akshaya Patra Foundation is one such NGO. This NGO has been implementing the mid-day meal programme since 2000. It operates in a Public-Private Partnership model. This NGO receives grants and subsidies from Central Government and various State Governments along with philanthropic support from individual corporate donors. Currently, Akshaya Patra provides mid-day meal in 10 states of India and Assam is one of the beneficiary states.

Akshaya Patra started serving as a mid-day meal in Assam in February 2010 following a discussion with the State Government of Assam about the need of the mid-day meal programme in the State. Akshaya Patra has a centralised kitchen facility in Assam and it is one of the biggest infrastructures of the region. It indeed was a challenging task to set up the kitchen due to terrain, resources and basic amenities like water supply, electricity and the like. But the NGO in Assam sailed through the challenges with the support it received from the Government, Government bodies and benevolent donors. As of March 2014, this NGO in Assam provides mid-day meal to 53,649 children of 592 Government schools.

This NGO in Assam has had ground experience of positive changes that mid-day meal has brought in the lives of young hearts of the land. It has also recognised how mid-day meal programme can be reached to the grass root level of the society with dedicated road map, proper channelizing of resources and combined effort of Governmental bodies, Non-Governmental Organisations and the society. Stories of Assam brings to fore the many tales of change and hope that mid-day meal has brought through this NGO in Assam. It also testifies how support from the entire society can positively alter the present and future of the underserved young citizens of the country.

Akshaya Patra believes in maintaining transparency and accountability with all its stakeholders regarding the funds that it has received from the Government and donors for implementing the mid-day meal programme. The Annual Report 2014 will provide the stakeholders with all the details about how the grants, subsidies and NGO donations have been utilised during the financial year 2013-14. The Foundation is well aware of the significance of NGO donations and thus takes all the effort to provide detailed information on the audited financial statements for each financial year. The other aspect of NGO donations is that a small contribution of Rs. 750 can feed one child for one whole year, meaning that the child need not worry about his or her lunch for one whole year. This NGO in Assam needs your support and involvement in sustaining the aspirations of children.

Gift hope by contributing NGO donations for this NGO in Assam and let the world know about your thoughtful deed.

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Online Annual Report of Akshaya Patra

The launch of Online Annual Report of Akshaya Patra on the eve of New Year marked the achievement that the Foundation has attained in its communication segment. As a policy to maintain transparency and accountability, The Akshaya Patra Foundation regularly publishes its Annual Report for all its stakeholders. But this year the Foundation took an extra step by launching an online version of the same. The NGO’s blog carry an interesting description about the online version.

The online annual report of Akshaya Patra has been narrated through the stories of five Akshaya Patra beneficiaries who represent all the 1.4 million beneficiaries of the NGO. The Foundation calls them ‘Fab Five Superheroes’ and the names of these fab five superheroes are Vinayak, Badal, Ambika, Mamatha and Munna. Their stories are testimonies to the potential and positive change that the mid-day meal programme has brought about in the lives of underserved children.

The online annual report of Akshaya Patra is a video format presented by the Foundation’s Vice Chairman Chanchalapati Dasa and the animated characters of the five superheroes. The report gives an overview of the Foundation’s cause, its progresses, audited financial statements, achievements, future plans and the like.

Addition to this video form, the Online Annual Report of Akshaya Patra 2013-14 also has a PDF and a Flipbook version. Click here to view Online Annual Report of Akshaya Patra 2013-14. Click NGO blog to read more.

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Pay respect to your loved ones by contributing donations for children

Most of us donate in memory of our loved ones as a way of offering our respect. The Akshaya Patra Foundation offers a platform to offer donations for children in memory of loved ones. Akshaya Patra is a child NGO implementing the mid-day meal programme across the country. Beginning by feeding just 1,500 children way back in 2000, today the Foundation feeds 1.4 million children across more than 10,600 Government schools covering 23 locations of 10 states. This child NGO operates in a Public-Private Partnership model.

Understanding the significance, this child NGO has introduced a platform for donation in memory of loved ones. Through this platform one can choose to contribute donations for children as a respect for their loved ones. Based on convenience, the donor can choose to contribute through debit card, credit card, net banking, wire transfer or international donation mode. The donor will receive an acknowledgement and tax exemption certificate for the donation made towards this child NGO. As you contribute donations for children you can also see how your money is spent by this child NGO. To know about the latest financial updates for the financial year ending March 2014 click Annual Report 2014.

It's an emotional association when we donate in memory of our dear ones. It is a way of cherishing the much valued memories. So wouldn't it be better to cherish the memories while being of help to some of the underserved children in the society? These underserved children are as rightful to receive nutritious food and formal education as any other children coming from a well-to-do background. These children too have aspirations and dreams. Their determination to achieve big in life can be termed colossal for the simple reason that even though they immensely struggle each day for meeting the basic needs, they never lose sight and hope of a better future. This child NGO has many such stories of courage and determination which more often than not puts the reader in a swarm of thoughts.

When a donor or supporter chooses to contribute donations for children beneficiaries of Akshaya Patra then he or she is not only providing food to a beneficiary but is also providing the much needed education. A minimum donation of Rs. 750 can feed one child for one whole year. This means to say the child does not have to worry about his or her noon time meal for one whole year. It also means that this meal will bring the child back to school every day for one whole year resulting in continued education.

Your choice to contribute to this child NGO as a donation in memory of your loved ones will not only honour the cherished memories but it will also bring about a positive change in the lives of many children who await a little care from you.

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Larger role of NGOs

As a mid-day meal implementer The Akshaya Patra Foundation plays a larger role of NGO. It steers its work arena beyond its cause. One of the NGO’s latest news was conducting training workshop for participants from the Institute of Secretariat Training & Management (ISTM), New Delhi. The workshop was held between 28th and 30th December 2014. A similar workshop was conducted earlier in the month between 21st and 23rd December at Bangalore.

During the training the not-for-profit organisation provided insights about its working as a NGO and also the challenges, processes and developments of other not-for-profit organisations. The training session covered the larger spectrum and role of NGOs. The training programme also scheduled for a visit to the NGO’s centralised kitchen at Vrindavan as an exposure visit for the participants.

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Mid-day meal in Gujarat changing tiny lives

Alike other states, the mid-day meal in Gujarat too has proved to be very significant in bringing children to school and also retaining them. The mid-day meal programme, one of the most vital initiatives of Government of India has shown promise of countering classroom hunger and illiteracy. The potential of the programme has been doubled by the involvement of NGOs in implementing this initiative along with Government bodies. The Government too has been encouraging NGOs in this front by providing support to these organisations with grants and subsidies.

One such NGO in Gujarat for children is The Akshaya Patra Foundation. Operating as a mid-day meal NGO, Akshaya Patra provides free school meal to 400,158 children across 1,653 Government schools in Gujarat. It provides mid-day meal in Gujarat from its three centralised kitchens each at Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat. This NGO in Gujarat for children also provides meals at Anganwadi as a recent development. The mid-day meal in Gujarat has transformed the lives of many children across the state. Stories from Gujarat will take you in a tour of different lives that were positively impacted by this programme. These stories are not mere incidences. They are the real lives that were altered with one nutritious meal per day and education along side.

To further extend its reach this NGO in Gujarat for children requires the support of society. The NGO aims to provide mid-day meal in other areas of Gujarat too so that more children gets the benefit of food and education. Every section of the society can take active part in this highly potential programme. There are generous donors who donate to NGO and there are many organisations and companies too who partner with this NGO in Gujarat for children as a part of corporate social responsibility initiative. However as the mission of the NGO is set to feed 5 million children across India by 2020, it asks for an increased involvement in terms of volunteering, donation, resources and creating awareness.

A supporter can choose to donate to NGO or Get involved with Akshaya Patra through other volunteering activities. However one should know that when they donate Rs. 750 to NGO, they are actually providing wholesome meal for one child for one whole year. At the same time by donating to NGO, the donor also receives tax exemption certificate for every donation of above Rs. 500. Thus it creates a win-win situation for the beneficiary as well as the donor.

Apart from providing mid-day meal in Gujarat, Akshaya Patra also provides mid-day meal in Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. In total, Akshaya Patra feeds 1.4 million children across India, every day. Join this movement and gift you nation generations of healthy and educated citizens.

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Akshaya Patra Annual Report 2014

Like all years, Akshaya Patra Annual Report 2014 is published as a part of its transparency policy. The Akshaya Patra Foundation regularly publishes its Annual Report for all its stakeholders as a way of updating them about developments and achievements that were a part of the previous financial year along with informing stakeholders about future plans of the organisation. The NGO’s Annual Report 2014 also acts as a disclosure of the financial statements and audits.

Akshaya Patra Annual Report 2014 is available in two formats: paperback and online. The online version can be availed at http://annualreports.akshayapatra.org/. A click at any cloud will direct the reader to that specific section of the Report. For example: if the reader clicks Introduction cloud, he or she will be guided to the section where they can get an overall understanding of the NGO’s cause.  Apart from the online version, an easily downloadable pdf version of the NGO’s Annual Report 2014 is also available in the same link.

Akshaya Patra Annual Report 2014 once again successfully published the NGO’s achievements, developments, future plans and its financials, for all its stakeholders. 

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