Santvana Swada
Feed the Needy — a group of people ready to feed the hungry.
Background
Motivated by one Christmas
We were motivated to distribute food packets for people on the streets on Christmas Day, 2020. The response was overwhelming — there were so many people who needed food, and people received it with love and reverence. This motivated us to give food packets every Sunday, as a beginning.
Objective: To alleviate hunger from the city of Mysuru.
Present project: To prepare and give food packets for 300 people every Sunday afternoon.
Place: Mysuru city, in the vicinity of KR Hospital (District Hospital).
It is good enough to talk of God whilst we are sitting here after a nice breakfast and looking forward to a nicer luncheon, but how am I to talk of God to the millions who have to go without two meals a day. To them God can only appear as bread and butter.— Mahatma Gandhi
A few facts on hunger
Why this matters
Over the last two decades, India has seen tremendous economic growth. Yet despite having one of the ten largest economies in the world, hunger remains widespread. The International Food Policy Research Institute has ranked India as low as 97th place for combating hunger, and large numbers of people — especially women and children — do not have enough to eat.
More than half of women in the reproductive age group (15–49 years) are estimated to be anaemic. One of the primary causes of hunger is widespread poverty, compounded by limited access to food in rural markets — a combination that affects children in these areas most of all.
Figures as compiled by the Santvana Swada team from published hunger-research sources (IFPRI, India FoodBanking Network) at the time of writing; presented here for context.
A different Christmas celebration
“Felt much closer to Baby Jesus this Christmas”
A week before Christmas, Naveen asked: can we distribute 100 food packets for homeless people on Christmas Day? Friends said they could only join afterward — but the team wasn't discouraged. The purpose was to celebrate Christmas on the streets, with people who have no celebrations of their own.
Preparation started on Christmas Eve, when children chopped more than five kilograms of onions and cleaned garlic and ginger. Early the next morning, cooking began — and by the time it was finished, 220 packets were ready in two big trays. After a small prayer, the team set out for KR Hospital in Mysuru, stopping wherever they met someone in need along the way.
All the packets were gone within half an hour, with more people still waiting. Everyone who received food did so with great gratitude — and the team came away with a lesson of their own about the value of giving rather than receiving.
Every Sunday since
A growing weekly commitment
Reaching KR Hospital again
Food packets finish within minutes — with more people still asking. The team notes there is no other organisation regularly giving food to people near the district hospital in Mysuru.
A familiar welcome
The watchman and vendors at the site now recognize the team and guide people to them. Even people working at the hospital, the team learns, often go without food themselves.
Friends join the effort
Friends from Mysuru help chop vegetables and pack food; three carloads of volunteers distribute the packets in under fifteen minutes. People now recognize the weekly rhythm and come straight to the team.
A joyful weekly rhythm
Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings become the most joyful times of the week, as children look forward to cleaning and chopping vegetables together with volunteer families.
So often, I get discouraged by the many things I cannot do — such as feed a hundred people — that I do not do – feed anyone. If I feed one, there is one less hungry person in the world. If every one of us followed this advice, we could feed the world.— Mother Teresa
I am a sannyasin, a fakir. Where shall I find money enough to help you? But if ever I get money in my possession, I shall first spend that in the service of man. Man is first to be saved; he must be given food, education, and spirituality.— Swami Vivekananda
The appeal
Help us reach one more meal
Food is the most basic of the needs of man. When we see people living without food, it stirs our conscience. We reach out to generous people like you to help people eat at least one meal a day. Please contribute to mitigate the hunger of some people around.
You can be a partner of the mission by being a Mission Partner, supporting Santvana Swada through monthly contributions.
Support Santvana SwadaReach the Santvana Swada team
Phone: +91 90205 11141
Email: santvanaswadmysuru@gmail.com
Contact for the Mysuru-based Santvana Swada team specifically.