Social and Environmental Projects

In addition to intense spiritual activity, ashram life is also devoted to helping the poor. It is a tradition that all ashram visitors are fed free and food is distributed to the needy on a regular basis. During the lockdown phase of the COVID pandemic, Avadhoota Datta Peetham (ADP) donated food for all of the medical workers in the government hospitals of Mysore. ADP provides free medical care for the needy through the SGS Charitable Hospital. Allopathic and Ayurvedic treatment and medicines are provided. The SGS Vaidya Seva program has mobile medical vans that provide outreach to villages and urban slums. The ashram sponsors specialty medical camps for diabetes, women’s and children’s health, eye diseases, heart disease, and cancer detection. Care is provided to the elderly through the Amma Vodi residence for destitute women located in in Hyderabad, and a senior living facility in Machilipatnam. The ashram also runs the SGS Orphanage in Guntur. These are but a few of the many charitable activities of Avadhoota Datta Peetham.

Sri Swamiji’s love and compassion extend to all living beings. He has established Shuka Vana Rehabilitation Centre for Birds. Shuka Vana won a Guinness World Record for the most number of bird species (468) in one aviary. Its mission is to conserve endangered and distressed birds, and it has an avian hospital for that purpose. The ashram has a beautiful horticultural garden and the Kishkindha Moolika Bonsai Garden which contains more than 450 miniaturized trees.

The various centers and temples in the U.S. are actively involved in service to their local communities. KSHT has sponsored numerous charitable activities such as food donations for the homeless and refugee populations, health fairs, Red Cross blood drives, walkathons, and hurricane relief. JDRC has donated food to local food banks and sponsored meals for school age children during the COVID pandemic. TDYC has been actively involved in donating school supplies and computers to needy children, walkathons, blood drives, donations to local food banks, and sponsoring health fairs. Dashavatara Yoga Center has sponsored food at local homeless shelter, provided school supplies to students, and participated in planting trees as part of a local reforestation program.