Sri Satya Sai Annapurna Seva Pathakam
Located on Government Hospital Premises in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, India, this registered charity organization provides 250 lunches and 200 dinners everyday to poor people from neighboring villages, forests, and tribal areas. Every Thursday, two sets of clothes and napkins are given to families with new born infants. On the 9th day of every month, pregnant women can receive a free medical check up, and on the 19th of every month, pregnant women receive medicines and healthy food. Many people travel from all over the district for this medical camp.
This organization adds new programs every year. In 2012, when the organization was registered, there was only the lunch program. In 2013, a dinner program was added and a filtered water plant was established. In 2014, the “May I Help You” program was started at the hospital to help patients. In 2015, a vegetable garden was planted, and in 2016 a blood donation program began.
There are many donation opportunities for those who want to support this cause. Monthly expenditure excluding rice is about Rs. 100,000 or just under $1500. Rice is currently provided by local rice millers. Donors can give Rs. 2000 (around $30) to have food served on any particular day in their name or in the name of a family member. A donation of Rs. 10,000 (less than $150) can be made to serve food one day a year in the name of the donor for a birthday, wedding day, or in the memory of their ancestors. For Rs. 50,000 (around $737), food is served 6 days in a year in the name of the donor and their family. For a donation of Rs. 100,000 (around $1473), donors can sponsor food for 12 days in a year, but donors don’t have to give a particular amount. Donations of every amount are much appreciated. As more money is collected, more and more programs that help people in a variety of ways can begin.
Smt. T.K. Annapurna, retired Deputy Director of Andhra Pradesh State B.C. Welfare Dept., is the Secretary of the society. She makes sure all the accounting is correctly in place, and every donated paisa is used for the cause.