Surya run team raises $29,000 for rural Indian children

Home Accents Today Staff -- Home Accents Today, 12/1/2012 2:00:00 AM

Area rugs and home accessories manufacturer Surya recently raised more than $29,000 for the Akshaya Patra organization through the company's own Miles for Meals program.
     Akshaya Patra is an NGO-run meal program that serves more than 1.3 million children in rural India freshly-prepared, nutritious meals every day. For many of them, the Akshaya Patra provided lunch might be their only complete meal for the day. This work also acts as an ncentive for parents to keep their children in school, according to a press release.
     Surya became involved with the organization earlier this year, donating $250,000 to help provide thousands of children with healthy meals for an entire year.
     Surya President Satya Tiwari decided to use a local race to further the worthwhile cause. He and a team of Surya employees, all running in the Allstate Atlanta Half- Marathon, enlisted the help of family, friends, customers and the local community in raising donations for their program, which they dubbed Miles for Meals. The group was able to raise more than $29,000, exceeding their initial goal by more than $4,000. These donations will help the organization to feed 1,941 children over the coming year.
    "I want to personally thank all of those who donated their time and money towards this amazing cause," Tiwari said. "Growing up in northern India, I saw the desperate need that still exists in so many communities for the healthy food and educational opportunities that can so easily be taken for granted."