Mother's Kitchen

How it began
How can I participate in my local area

Mother's Kitchen serves an estimated 72,000 free meals worldwide every year

"Children, love the poor wholeheartedly. Go to their level. Believe that it is your dharma, your God-given duty to love and serve the poor. No matter how rich we are, as long as we are not prepared to be compassionate towards the poor, we are truly living in utter poverty. Such people are the true destitutes in the eyes of God. It is no use lighting a lamp before God and making offerings in the temple if you do not care to provide some light to the unlit hovels of the poor. We should love them and we should serve them. Without this, no amount of meditation we may do will bestow on us the bliss of meditation. It is kindness and service to others that imparts the sweetness of meditation."

How it began

Mother emphasized the importance of having the devotees prepare the food themselves and serve the needy directly. One of the servers noticed that those who came for food, even the most hardened face would soften. A new light would glimmer in their eyes as they felt the warmth and compassion that provided them with a much needed meal. It was evident that the souls needed nourishment as much if not more than their bodies. Satsangs across many US cities have begun cooking and serving meals to the poor. In some areas Amma's admirers are beginning by regularly joining the efforts of an already established free meal service, hoping to expand their meal programs as support grows.

When Amma first mentioned her dream of feeding the poor, she also spoke of the future shelters for the homeless and the elderly. This prompted a group of devotees to investigate shelters in the Bay Area. Stunned by the environments, they began to realize the depth of Mother's awareness of the great need. There were stark rooms devoid of love. Children would huddle together crying in the corner of a room with just a bed for furnishing. There were no toys for them and no sense of belonging. Whether the condition of the poor is due to their karma or not, we feel that the best attitude is to accept their need as our own. The M.A.Center is deeply commited to this new project and invites those who are interested in making donations of time, money or labor to join us in this service to humankind.

Here are some of the experiences of two of the younger helpers who served at Mother's Kitchen in the Seattle satsang:

"On March 2nd I decided to go to downtown Seattle to help out to at the homeless shelter to serve food to the homeless. When I got there I helped cut fruit and set out the food. Then homeless people started coming in, and I served them fruit and washed up their mess after they ate. To tell you the truth, they were very nice people who appreciated what we were doing for them. After they had all eaten and left we cleaned up and headed back home. While I was sitting in the car I thought about the weekend before when I went to a fancy brunch, and realized I had enjoyed myself more this weekend, where I helped out at the homeless shelter!"

"When my parents suggested me and my brother helping out in the Mother's Kitchen I was worried, especially that I'll have to be there for at least five hours. But once we went there, the time just flew away. It was fun grating cheese, serving bread for the first time, I saw all those people who couldn't afford a decent meal, and I'm so glad that I was a part of Amma's kitchen helping to provide food. And I like this program because it's a great way to show what selfless service is - which is what Amma talks about all the time. I'm going to be there again."

--Nitish, age 10

How can I participate

Mother's Kitchen Project is active in 38 cities, feeding the poor and homeless. Organized and supported entirely by Amma devotees, meals are being served in 23 U. S. states and 2 in Canada. Here in the Greater Washington DC Metro area, we have been preparing and serving freshly cooked Vegetarian meals at 2 locations - one in Rockville, MD and the other in Fairfax, VA. If you like to volunteer at any of these two locations, please contact the Mother's Kitchen representatives.