I came across this name last year during my very short conversation with Rajesh and at that time I knew very little about what this organization does and how it touches the lives of so many needy in Tamilnadu etc. Couple of weeks back I received an invitation to attend Sri Periyava’s anugrahabashanam on an auspicious Anusham day – I did not know anything about what the occasion etc but was excited to get the darshan of Periyava – so I joined. Only then I figured out that the whole event was about Sankara Foundation (year end review of what they did in 2020) and was able to see the whole team behind this including doctors, volunteers and auditors and Periyava was immensely happy to see the work they have been doing. I was very moved to see that this team has brought in so many special kids to the live streaming with Periyava and made them chant at least few lines of slokas despite their difficulties. Sri Periyava patiently and attentively listened to each of their slokas with the same level of interest to a Ganapadigal! Such is Periyava’s kindness to these children! Hats off to the parents and the Sankara Healthcare foundation team.

This activity was initiated by none other than Pujyasri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal several years back who did not just talk about “jana Seva” but live His entire life doing Seva or the needy. He strongly believed in “makkal sevai makesan sevai”. Since that day this team in India has been going to so many villages in providing services such as cataract surgeries, dialysis, physical therapy, lab tests, geriatric care, pediatric care, artificial limbs, mammograms, cardiac care, medicines and free health camps. Similarly in US, they feed lots of homeless people with health vegan food under the program called HEAL and it is impressive to see lots of teenagers are participating in these activities as their way of giving back to the society.

I strongly encourage donors in US and India to support this wonderful team who is doing such a selfless job.

Please visit – https://giftofhealth.us – to know more and participate and contribute.

Please watch the video (link given at the bottom of the post) to see the volunteers, doctors etc across the globe who are part of this team.

This year has been especially difficult for many around us who need that extra hand to hold on to – whether it be a hot meal on a cold night in Boston or that life-saving dialysis in a rural hospital in India that cannot be postponed. At Sankara we are grateful for the privilege to be that extra hand.

Here is what we did in 2020 with the support of our generous donors and volunteers.

Impact in the USA

Many of you may know that Project HEAL was launched in Boston in the summer of 2018 with 200 meals a month for one night a month at the East Boston Community soup kitchen. We now have volunteers cooking and serving fresh, nutritious, organic, hot, plant-based meals in shelters across four cities – San Francisco, St. Louis and Seattle.

Together we have now served over 25,000 plant-based meals.

To ensure the safety of our guests in all these shelters during the peak of these unprecedented COVID times our donors made it possible for us to sponsor meals from restaurants for these shelters. Donations also helped us provide these meals for the COVID heroes of our nation – the frontline medical staff – in several medical facilities in these cities.

Sankara/HEAL’s Teens was launched in Seattle where a group of teen volunteers cook plant-based meals to help serve teens in Seattle who struggle for access to food and shelter.

Not just teens! Sankara’s volunteers come in all ages and sizes. They climb trees to pick apples for our shelters and make 400 peanut butter and preserve sandwiches for local Search and Rescue teams! 

Impact in India

Categories: Announcements, Periyava TV