Orissa School Project
Swamiji Gives the Gift of Education
The Mother’s Day satsang on May 8th, 2005, was a special day for The Eternal Blossoms as it brought with it a new service project for the educational development of underprivileged children in India.
The village of Nagaspur was destroyed during the 1999 super-cyclone that hit the state of Orissa, India, orphaning many children. Donors from across the Greater Toronto Area began to provide support to the village children in the form of food, clothing, and shelter. Young orphaned children were taken from the streets and a primary school was organized for them in a temple. Since then, the children have not had their own proper educational facility or the financial means to attend a fee-based school. However, on this day, Swami Sai Premananda promised to raise $50,000 by August 5th, 2005, for the development of a new school building for the children of Orissa.
Soon thereafter, under Swamiji’s divine leadership, the fundraising process began. The necessary funds were raised through various efforts such as unit sales, garage sales, door-to-door initiatives, lingam/murti sales, and dinner fundraisers. Funds began to miraculously come in from all parts of the world including Canada, Europe, Asia, and the United States. People worldwide were inspired by Swamiji’s seva project and began to put their love into action by doing everything possible to help raise the necessary funds. Unbelievably, within a mere two months, the sacrifice and efforts of all donors bore fruit as the $50,000 goal was met in advance.
The Orissa School Project was a complete success and a significant achievement for the organization.
Daily Bread Food Bank
The Eternal Blossoms donates over 12,000 pounds of food to those in need.
In 2006, The Eternal Blossoms assisted community members in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) by collecting non-perishable food items for the Daily Bread Food Bank. Several large-scale food drives were coordinated by members of the congregation. As well, individuals held food drives at their respective workplaces to support this wonderful initiative. In less than a year, the organization was able to donate over 12,000 pounds of food, becoming one of the top contributors in the GTA.
The Daily Bread Food Bank distributes to over 190 food programs in agencies across the GTA ensuring that those in the greatest need are served. Please visit www.dailybread.ca for more information.
Angela’s Place
In July 2005, the Region of Peel (Brampton, Mississauga, Caledon) officially started a brand new 20-unit transitional housing project called “Angela’s Place.” This facility provides interim housing and assistance for families that have experienced homelessness, poverty, or domestic violence. Unfortunately, when families move into Angela's Place, they often come empty-handed, without any of the household items that one would use on a daily basis.
On Saturday, October 29th, 2005, The Eternal Blossoms organized the collection and donation of various household items as requested by Angela’s Place. The items donated helped to support three families in need. As well, many items were kept in reserve for future use.
Swamiji and several volunteers of the organization came together to pack and deliver the needed items to Angela’s Place. Overall, it was a wonderful day of service as it helped to support those less fortunate in the community.
Given below are some of the items donated on that day:
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Free Distribution of Principles of Higher Living
Swamiji’s Gift to the Hindu Youth Conference
On July 7th, 2007, 239 copies of Principles of Higher Living were gifted to the participants of the Hindu Youth Conference which took place in Toronto, Canada that day. The annual program draws youth from around Canada who seek to enjoy the spiritually-oriented activities and broaden their awareness on the Hindu faith through the workshops and many set up booths. This youthful God-minded atmosphere was an ideal one to share Swamiji’s message of love and principled living, and one of the booths was dedicated for this purpose. Indeed, many attendees were captivated by the large and beautiful picture of Swamiji at the booth and thankful for their free copy of Principles of Higher Living through which they could learn more about Swamiji and his teachings.
The Holistic World Expo 2007
Over September 22–24, 2007, 96 copies of Principles of Higher Living were gifted to attendees of the Holistic World Expo in Toronto, Canada. The Holistic World Expo is a conference that promotes and spreads awareness on holistic healing practices which benefit the mind, body, and spirit.
Suhaag Bridal Show
On February 3rd, 2008, couples attending the Suhaag Bridal Show received a beautiful blessing: a free copy of Swamiji’s book, Principles of Higher Living. In total, 516 copies were gifted to the attendees to commemorate this joyful period in their lives. This event, held annually in Toronto, Ontario, showcases South Asian facilities and services available for brides and grooms on their wedding day.
Copyright 2006–2008 © The Eternal Blossoms
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