With roots in Indian culture, the Food for Life project is a modern day revival of the ancient Vedic culture of hospitality. Since the beginning of recorded time, sharing of food has been a fundamental part of the civilized world and in India, such hospitality was based on the understanding of the equality of all beings. In 1974, an elderly Indian swami, Srila Prabhupada, shocked and saddened upon seeing a group of village children fighting with street dogs over scraps of food, told his yoga students: “No one within ten miles of a temple should go hungry . . . I want you to immediately begin serving food.” Hearkening to the swami’s plea, Krishna devotees around the world were inspired to expand that original effort into a global network of free food kitchens, cafes, vans, and mobile services, establishing daily delivery routes in many large cities around the world.

In 1966, Srila Prabhupada began the famous "Sunday Feasts" at ISKCON's fledgling Second Avenue storefront in New York. The elderly swami personally helped cook and serve the feasts. Word of this delicious, free 10-course meal spread quickly, and It soon was attended by 300-400 people each week.

ISKCON expanded and the Sunday Feast became a weekly event in major cities worldwide. Wherever an ISKCON temple was built, prasadam feasts would also take place. Srila Prabhupada often referred to the Hare Krishna movement as the "kitchen religion." These Sunday Feasts formed the basis for the current Food For Life program.

In the 1970's, ISKCON expanded its vision of prasadam distribution and developed the Food For Life program to target food distribution to the less fortunate. In many cities special food distribution vehicles were purchased and daily delivery routes to low-income areas began. Today, the program distributes tens of thousands of free meals everyday to needy people of St. Petersburg, Durban, Bangalore, London, Bombay and over 100 other cities worldwide.

In 1974, Srila Prabhupada was looking out from his room at ISKCON's temple in Mayapura (West Bengal), when he noticed a group of village children fighting with street dogs over scraps of food. Shocked and saddened by what he saw, Srila Prabhupada turned to his disciples and said, "Imagine how hungry they are.... "God is the Father. Wherever there is the Father, the children should not be hungry? A temple therefore means: free food distribution.... "No one within a ten mile radius of our temples should go hungry.... "I want you to begin distributing food immediately." These prophetic words rang loudly, inspiring his followers to expand that original program into a global network of free food kitchens, cafes, vans, and emergency services. Food for Life has emerged as the world's largest vegetarian/vegan food-relief program with thousands of volunteers working in over 60 countries.

In Durban, South Africa, Food for Life hosted the world's largest gathering of school children for a free picnic! President Mandella was the special guest at the "Festival for the children of the Rainbow Nation held at the Durban Sports arena on April 23. He later told reporters that it was "his happiest day." More than 40,000 picnic lunches were served.

Food for Life has recieved numerous endorsements from leading government officials and dignitaries from all over the world, including Dr. Nelson Mandela, who praised Food for Life's ability to unite the African people.

To date, more than 300 million free meals have been served since 1974—but these are not ordinary meals—all food is first sanctified to provide complete nourishment for body and soul. Food for Life is proud to say that it provides the most "complete" welfare service.

All food prepared and distributed by FOOD FOR LIFE is sanctified, a term rooted in Hindu tradition. People of all faiths, however, are familiar with the spiritual practices of thanksgiving and offering to God the first of the earth’s yield. The meals provided by Food for Life thus nourish both body and soul. Food for Life

Many Food for Life volunteers have risked their lives working in war zones, including the war in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzagovina where volunteers visited orphanages, homes for the elderly, hospitals, institutes for handicapped children, and basement shelters on a daily basis, throughout the three year conflict. An estimated 20 tons of food was distributed in Sarajevo.

Without doubt, Food for Life's most valiant efforts were realized during the conflict in Grozny, Chechnya in 1995. A New York Times article, titled: Krishnas Cast Bread on Roiling Waters in Russia (December 12, 1995) stated that:

"Here, they have a reputation like the one that Mother Teresa has in Calcutta: it's not hard finding people to swear they are saints." ...Read full Article.