March 29, 2010

Port-au-Prince — Food for Life Global, the world’s largest vegan food relief, ceased all food distribution on March 27 due to logistical challenges associated with the Haitian government closing down all wet food distribution programs in refugee camp sites.

Project Manager, Bruce Webster said, “The Haitians were so appreciative of our hot vegan meals and the children would often come out dancing from their tents to greet us. It was so touching.” International Director, Paul Turner praised the team in Haiti, “They have done a tremendous job and we are all very proud of them. Nearly 100,000 meals were served.”

Charity spokesperson, Krishna Mulder, added, “We are hoping that Food for Life Global can resume distribution in Haiti in a few months from now. It all depends on available resources and whether Food for Life Global is able to participate in the school feeding programs.”

The non-profit organization, based in New York, has responded to some of the world’s largest natural disasters, including the great Tsunami of 2004 as well as Hurricane Katrina and Rita and has served over 850 million meals to the needy since the early 70s.

“All unused donations will be kept for future relief efforts,” said Turner.

END

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Distribution of hot meals in disaster camps in Port-Au-Prince
FFLG is continuing to distribute nutritious hot meals daily starting from the 19th of February till now. We initially started our distribution efforts with one thousand meals a day and now we distribute to four different disaster camps where over 3,800 people reside.

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First disaster camps at Port au Prince where FFLG distributes vegan meals

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This is Olivia’s story of first impression recorded recently.
She also wrote very good article about help in Haiti on her FaceBook.
This and other stories is on volunteers part of the site >>.

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For immediate release

Food for Life Global (FFLG), headquarters for the world’s largest vegan food relief, is urgently calling for the assistance of responsible and experienced kitchen hands to help with its food relief project in Haiti.

The current Food for Life Global operation, managed by Bruce Webster from Denver, is now serving 3500 hot meals daily. “We are planning to expand to 10,000 meals a day very soon,” explained Webster. “Right now we urgently need help as our small team is maxed out.”

FFLG continues to interface with NGOs to secure a reliable stream of fresh food (rice, beans and vegetables).

People interested in helping need to commit to staying for at least 1 month and make their own way to Haiti. Food for Life Global will provide accommodation, meals and and other personal support. If you have cooking skills and can speak French and/or Creole, that is a big plus.

To apply, go to: VOLUNTEER APPLICATION

(Above: Canadian volunteer, Krishna Mulder, serves hot vegetable curry to hungry children from the Food for Life Global relief truck in Port-au-Prince)

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Omkara World by Adam Helfer

As you can well imagine, the reconstruction and replenishing of Haiti is going to take a long time and a lot of effort. With not much infrastructure in many areas to begin with, Haiti is very dependent on outside help and resources.

Food for Life Global

One group who has stepped up to the task and stands out in the area of food relief is Food for Life Global (FFLG)- the emergency coordination division and Headquarters for Food for Life, the world’s largest vegan food relief organization.  Food For Life started in 1974 when an acclaimed elderly Indian guru, Swami Prabhupada, implored to his Yoga students to never let anyone within a 10 mile range of his ashram go hungry. Food for Life is now active in over 50 countries and serves over 1,500,000 healthy vegan meals a day.

Due to their diligence in South Africa, they have gotten acclaim from Nelson Mandela and have been written up in the press all over the world. Though the organization is worldwide, the main headquarters is based here in Potomac, Maryland.

Food for Life is now working in Haiti in conjunction with larger organizations such as the Red Cross, Care, and they have partnered with the Indian military to provide a safe base to distribute vegan meals in Port-au-Prince.

Food, supplies and transportation costs are high and Food for Life Global is really asking for help. International director Paul Turner states: “Your donations are still crucial at this stage of the development, and we sincerely thank all who have already come forward to support us- Please continue to give whatever you can and remember: Food For Life can serve more than 100 meals in a crisis like this for as little as $25, So your dollars will go a long way.”

Food for Life Global in action

If you have been looking for a solid organization you can trust in the Haiti relief effort, then know your dollars will be well spent with Food for Life. You can go to the main website to donate or go right to the Haiti donation page.

Food for Life doesn’t limit their scope to just food relief. Other services include: Schooling, nutrition education, animal sanctuaries, orphanages, medical care and organic farming.

Know that you are supporting a local organization which reaches the most needy worldwide. For more information or to inquire about volunteering, feel free to contact: contact@ffl.org or visit the volunteer page

Please visit their website for more information.

Adam is a Reiki Master, certified Health and Lifestyle counselor, Licensed Massage Therapist, 20 year practicing bramana initiated Bhakti Yogi, Spiritual advisor, visionary, jock and veteran of the “hardcore punk scene” all rolled into one. Adam is the founder of Omkara World and produced the mind/body

Source: Washington Times (Online Edition)

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While Raymond and Jean tucked into a plate of griot and fried bananas, I struck up a conversation with some American aid workers at the next table. They were from Food for Life Global, a relief group that had recently arrived from the Dominican Republic to do food distribution.

Food for Life Global distributes vegan and vegetarian meals, and their small team enthusiastically described their plans to serve hot meals to hungry Haitians. It was a sensible-sounding arrangement: For starters, many Haitians lost all of their cooking equipment in the quake. Equally important, donated sacks of rice or flour can end up on the black market. More importantly, they were doing it on the cheap. Krishna Mulder, a Food for Life Global volunteer in a psychedelic green t-shirt and baggy Ocean Pacific shorts, told me he didn’t care if he had to stay in one of Haiti’s improvised tent camps, as long as he was able to deliver food.

“If someone happens to hack me up while I’m sleeping in a camp, and my intention was to give out free food, it’s a life well lived,” he said with dead earnestness.

I had to admire his conviction. Bruce Webster, Food for Life’s project manager, then turned to Jean to explain his their mission a bit further. “Did you know it takes 12 times more energy to produce a pound of meat protein than it does to produce vegetable protein?” he asked Jean, who listened politely while he ate his pork. “It’s very inefficient.”

Read full article: http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/02/vegans-thetans-and-baptists-oh-my-rebuilding-haiti-in-our-image/

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Feb 11, 2010
Food for Life Global is making great progress in Haiti, thanks to the overwhelming support of the community. Thus far we have invested nearly $50,000 towards the effort, but much more is needed. Many of the larger relief agencies have collected hundreds of millions of dollars, so we are appealing to our core supporters to do whatever they can to help FFLG raise more funds. As most are aware, FFLG can feed a lot of people with very little money. We estimate that even in a crisis situation like the Haiti earthquake, FFLG can serve at least 3 hot meals per $1. That means a donation of just $100 can feed around 300 hungry people. In an effort to expand our distribution capacity, we are spending $20,000 on new cooking equipment.

Project Manager, Bruce Webster, said, “We have calculated that we can cook for approx 4-8 thousand people per day with the new cookers. The cost of each cooker (one for rice, and the other for beans) are approx 6 thousand dollars. The cost will be recouped back with the speed at which they cook and the savings in gas etc.” The automation will also allow FFLG to cook with fewer staff but still keep out overall numbers very high.

Port-Au-Prince
We have recently established a partnership with the Indian Military to provide a secure camp site for our food distribution in Port-Au-Prince. FFLG will be the only agency providing freshly cooked meals to Haitians and they will be totally vegan!

Distribution continues in Santo Domingo Hospitals as before.

Calling all Volunteers
At this time, we are not only appealing for more financial support, but also for volunteers to join us in Haiti. If you have experience in large scale food production or are just strong, enthusiastic and determined, we welcome your application NOW. Go to Volunteer Application.

Please help FFLG at this time of great need.

Paul Turner
Director
Food for Life Global

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A second team recently returned from Port Au Prince and Dalamar to make arrangements for a new distribution base in cooperation with the Indian Military and with food support coming from other NGOs. More details coming soon…

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Food for Life Global volunteers are continuing their distribution of freshly prepared vegan lunches for Haitian survivors of the earthquake who are now being cared for in the Dr. Dario Contreras Hospital in Santo Domingo. Volunteers prepare the lunches at the local FFL kitchen and then package them to be handed out at the hospital, which specializes in trauma.

(Volunteers serving prepared vegan meals to Haitian survivors)

Haiti Distribution

We have made great progress in securing a working relationship with other agencies to begin our distribution in Haiti. This Sunday, a FFLG team will join a convoy of trucks accompanied by the military to provide food support to Ms. Rosa Maria Garcia, president of Haitian-Dominican Chamber of Commerce, and her team of relief workers in Jacmel and Port Au Prince. Food for Life Global is also working in cooperation with the Defensa Civil which is part of Ministry for Defense. Project coordinator, Richard Higgins said, “We feel very confident now that we have this military protection in Haiti. This first mission into the disaster zone will give FFLG first hand knowledge of what we are up against.”

Sanitation

One of the major challenges faced by all aid agencies is sanitation, so FFL Global has partnered with New Directions Foundation that specializes in sanitation solutions. “There is sewage all over the ground in Haiti. It is extremely unsanitary at the moment,” explained Higgins.

Volunteer update

Food for Life Global, based in New York, is coordinating more volunteers to arrive soon from Slovenia, South Africa, Mexico, USA, and Canada over the next few weeks. “Our goal is to set up kitchens in government controlled and secured camps in Haiti,” explains International Director, Paul Turner. People that have applied to volunteer for the Food for Life Global mission will be contacted as our operation becomes more stable. At the moment, we are in need of more money to fund these efforts. We have been able to secure good sources for food in Santo Domingo, however, in some cases prices are high. On top of this, transportation costs will most likely be substantial over a long period of time.

Please continue to support Food for Life Global

Wire Funds

You can wire fund to the Food for Life Global – Emergency Relief Fund

J.P. Morgan Chase Bank
Address: New York, NY 10017
Routing: 021000021
Account Owner: Food for Life Global
Account Name: Emergency Relief – 820603645

Mail checks to:

Food for Life Global- Emergency Fund

PO Box 471

Riverdale, NY 10471

USA

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January 21, 2010

The first wave of International Food for Life Global volunteers is set to arrive in Santo Domingo today to join the local FFL staff in finalizing setup for our vegan food relief base camp. More volunteers from the UK, USA, Brazil, Mexico and Canada are set to arrive soon after. The first order of business is to establish working relationships with other relief agencies and the military to create the most secure, efficient service possible.

17.1.2009
Food for Life Global is currently setting up a base of operations in nearby Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic. This is the point from which we will store food supplies and support our vegan food relief program in Haiti once we begin.

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