Amma Will Provide $1M for Katrina Relief

Amritapuri, India
September 23, 2005

In a national press conference today at Amritapuri, Amma announced that the Mata Amritanandamayi Center (U. S. based non-profit organization), will provide $1 million in aid to help victims of Hurricane Katrina, the storm that devastated New Orleans, Louisiana, as well as coastal areas of Mississippi and Alabama.

At the crowded press conference, Amma answered questions about the Mata Amritanandamayi Math's massive Tsunami Rehabilitation & Relief Project, as well as other ongoing service projects of the M. A. Math.

Amma also announced that so far the M. A. Math has completed 1,200 of the 6,200 new earthquake resistant homes it has undertaken to construct throughout India and Sri Lanka.

Even though the M. A. Math had pledged Rs. 100 crores (~ $23M) in Tsunami Relief Aid, in fact the effective value of the amount is closer to Rs. 200 crores (~ $46M), due to the incredible work being done by dedicated volunteers, Amma said.

Amma also discussed future social-welfare projects, such as her plans to help victims of prostitution in Mumbai and Calcutta.

In the U. S., M. A. Center and its affiliates (from Texas, Arkansas, Michigan, California, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, New York etc.) have been actively participating in bringing relief of Katrina survivors under the leadership of Br. Dayamrita Chaitanya (one of Amma's senior disciples). So far, the main areas in which the M.A. Center has helped have been through the provision of food, clothing and school supplies, as well as giving emotional support.

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