The Hungarian Krishna community delivered 2,500 hot meals and gift packages, offering warmth and hope to thousands, from the homeless to struggling families.
This Christmas, the Hungarian Krishna community went above and beyond, distributing more meals than ever before.
On Christmas morning, they served 2,500 hot meals, including Hungarian cabbage stew and tea, to those in need. A thousand people were offered meals at local homeless shelters, while 1,500 more were served at a park in the Népliget district of Budapest.
Along with the meals, recipients were given small gift packages, which included organic pumpkins from the Krishna Valley, though many others contributed with additional donations.
Shoppers in local supermarkets also played a part, donating non-perishable food such as flour, chocolate, and canned goods, which were collected in special baskets for the Krishna community, according to one of the organisers Csilla Szilaj Péterné.
The rising cost of housing, inflation, and low social benefits have led to an increasing number of people relying on food distributions each year. The queues now include not only the homeless but also middle-class families and struggling retirees. Many are so desperate that they are willing to wait for hours in the cold for a hot meal.
The Krishna community’s “Food for Life” Christmas feast lasts from December through January, reaching up to 10,000 people in need. After Christmas Eve, many rely on these meals, as most other organisations stop their food donations by then.
