Surya Raises $75,000 for School Lunch Program
Thousands of children in rural India will receive food and an education for an entire year thanks to a generous donation from Calhoun, Ga.-based Surya, which achieved a milestone during its fourth annual “Miles for Meals” campaign for Akshaya Patra, the world’s largest NGO-run school lunch program.
As a result of the fundraising effort, 5,000 school children living in northern India – including children from the villages where Surya’s 50,000+ weaver community resides – will receive daily hot lunches for a year.
To help raise awareness for Akshaya Patra and the Miles for Meals campaign, 60 Surya employees participated in a half-marathon in early October. In addition, Surya employees raised funds through creative initiatives such as a pancake breakfast, international lunch, the sale of hand-crafted items, raffles, and themed contests. A number of Surya customers also donated to the campaign, including members of Surya’s customer loyalty program – Surya Rewards – who donated their Surya Points earned in September to the campaign to feed an additional 335 children for one year. To date, Surya Rewards donations have helped to feed 1,230 school children.
“It is extremely gratifying, and humbling, to make it possible for so many children to not only receive access to daily nutritious meals, but also reap the invaluable benefits of an education,” affirms Satya Tiwari, President of Surya. “Hunger should never be a barrier to fulfilling one’s potential and Akshaya Patra continues to do an amazing job in helping to reduce poverty and improve the lives of children and their families throughout rural India. We sincerely appreciate the efforts of everyone who has contributed to this important cause.”
Since its inception in 2012, Surya’s Miles for Meals program has raised more than $215,000 for Akshaya Patra. The organization delivers a hot, nutritious mid-day meal to 1.5 million children daily, with the donor’s share of just $15 feeding one child at school for an entire academic year.
“It takes so little to support a child who is hungry for an education and eager to make it in this world,” adds Emily Rosenbaum, CEO of Akshaya Patra USA. “The annual Miles for Meals campaign continues to exceed expectations, bringing us ever closer to our goal of ending childhood hunger. We are truly thankful for Surya’s ongoing commitment to creating a brighter future for thousands of children and their families in India.”
To learn more about Akshaya Patra and Surya’s commitment to social responsibility, visit www.surya.com/social-responsibility.
