What We Do
In 1996, inspired by Amma's teachings to serve the poor, a group of people approached Amma and asked if they should identify places that have people with a dire need and try to help. When Amma said yes, they found a small soup kitchen in west Oakland serving free meals every weekday while operating on a shoestring budget. Mother’s Kitchen began serving hot meals there twice a month, soon adding bagged lunches too.
The idea spread and soon Mother’s Kitchens began popping up all over the map. Currently, there are close to 50 in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica. Most help existing facilities, by purchasing food and supplies from donations made to Mother's Kitchen, and by supplying volunteers to prepare, cook and serve the meals.
Since 2020, many Mother's Kitchens have gone on hiatus due to the covid pandemic, but a few have continued with contact-free delivery of meals or distribution of staples. In 2021 alone, Berkeley Mother's Kitchen distributed 29,836 pounds of fresh produce, protein items and staple foods for contact-free pickup by housed and unhoused food-insecure individuals and families. San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Portland, Mexico, Canada and other Mother's Kitchens around the country have also continued to serve the hungry throughout the covid pandemic."
Mother’s Kitchen groups in North America prepare, cook and serve 150,000 meals for the homeless and hungry each year. Some groups also collect and distribute clothing, household items or food staples for communities in need. In the Bay Area, the Amma’s Pantry initiative, launched in 2013, has collected 11,347 lbs of food - the equivalent of 9,078 meals – for distribution to local food kitchens, food pantries, and directly into local communities.
Some groups also collect clothing, household items or food staples for communities in need.
- In Ohio, we outfitted a women’s shelter, painting and furnishing apartments, providing clothing, toys and school supplies, as well as meals.
- In San Diego, we provided food to migrant workers during winter months when work was scarce.
- In Portland Oregon and Victoria Canada, we participate in a city-wide project to reduce wasted food and recycle essentials that are still usable.
- In Los Angeles - join us for Food Rescue and Re-purpose in Santa Monica and Torrance, H.O.P.E meals in Santa Monica, and Downtown Women's Center monthly luncheon
- In Rockville Maryland, we prepare and serve thirty meals at a women’s shelter once a month.
- In Costa Rica, Mother’s Kitchen started out as an annual fiesta celebration with free food and has now evolved into an ongoing project throughout the year.
Anyone wishing to volunteer time is more than welcome. If you're interested in starting a new Mother's Kitchen, please contact motherskitchen@ammagroups.org.
We are on facebook now - Add your Mother's Kitchen event information or see pictures at Mother's Kitchen.
Mother's Kitchen Contacts list
Read our stories:
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Our activities at Amma's Kitchen at the Montreal Welcome Hall Mission began in March 2007. At that time, until the start of the pandemic in 2020, once a month, we bought our food, prepared the meal and served the needy with our volunteers from Amma Quebec. During the first year of the pandemic, the management of the Welcome Hall Mission no longer authorized volunteers to come and serve at the Mission. However, we were able to go and do seva for Christmas 2021, while respecting the hygiene measures in force. In 2022, we were able to come back once a month for seva, but the operating rules had changed and continue to change today. We can no longer prepare our meals or bring our food (but we can make donations). However, we help the Mission cook to prepare the meal and serve the needy and we also offer our help with cleaning the kitchen after the meal. As we serve meals, we truly feel Amma's Energy and Love flowing through us and these men, who so desperately need a helping hand... Amma's hand! We have no direct contact with the beneficiaries during the service, and plexiglass panels protect the volunteer who distributes the meal trays. The other volunteers work in the kitchen and fill the food trays. Our staff is now reduced. We must adapt to these new realities. Amma's grace has allowed us to continue this beautiful Seva for 17 years now!
Chicago, Hesed House
Started in September 2013 as a way to celebrate Amma’s 60th birthday with the gift of service, we cook for Hesed House, a local homeless shelter. Using the MA Center Chicago kitchen to cook and some of the fresh vegetables grown at the ashram, we serve 90-120 guests of Hesed House a high-quality vegetarian meal on the first Sunday of every month.
Vineeta Mary Dosch: Serving food at the homeless shelter on a Sunday for Mother's Kitchen is more fulfilling to the soul than trying to "enjoy" oneself. It's also a good way to focus on the fact that we're all one - the homeless and the housed.
Cindy Sparrow: Serving the homeless at Hesed House is a wonderful way to practice selfless service. We can see God and ourselves in every face and give unconditional love. Gratitude to our dear Amma for this opportunity to practice Her teachings.
Lalitha Louise Meyer: One of Amma's bhajans offers the following words
"may each one will have enough food just for one night." Therefore, I volunteer to feed the residents of Hesed House. It is a privilege and honor to serve food to women, children and men who have the same need as I have, to eat and be sheltered from the cold winter night. Through Amma's teachings it is clear to me that we are each other's keeper.
Read more
- Atlanta, GA - May-June 2024 newsletter >
- Toronto, Canada - March-April 2024 newsletter >
- Oahu, HI - Jan -Feb 2024 newsletter >
