It started with a group of volunteers in 1996, inspired by Amma’s life, getting together for a weekly meditation and embarking in 2001, on activities in the form of collection of non perishable food items, clothes, toys and household appliances for distribution to the poor and needy, through established charitable organizations such as Covenant House, Red Door shelter, St. Felix Centre, Salvation Army, Eden food Bank and others. Volunteers participated in soup kitchens run by Scott Mission, Salvation Army and St. Felix Centre. Monetary donations were given to many of these charities, the funds for the purpose being raised through garage sales and contributions from volunteers themselves.

In 2003 Amma Foundation of Canada was registered as a charity and in addition to an expansion in the scale of charitable activities, volunteers began participating in community activities such as planting trees in the cities of Mississauga and Scarborough. So far over 500 trees have been planted by the volunteers. Amma Foundation has also adopted Newcastle Park in Brampton and volunteers have been maintaining it.

With the purchase of a property in May 2008, Amma Foundation has added the field of organic farming to its activities. Fourteen acres of land, which had hitherto been used for cultivation of corn, wheat and other crops with the application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is now being prepared for farming with organic, environmentally friendly procedures. Half an acre of the land is being used for growing vegetables. A bee hive has been introduced with a collection of bees. The kitchen has been upgraded and certified following which a meal is prepared and served to the clients of the Georgetown Bread Basket every month. On an average sixty to seventy people make use of the service. Recently, volunteers from the group accompanied thirty five ‘children at risk’ from downtown Toronto on a trip to Niagara Falls. The one day picnic was appreciated by the children as well as the volunteers. Yet another initiative which is producing results is the ‘Komputerz 4 kidz” program. One of our volunteers takes used computers and after repairing them, gives them to needy children. During the past twelve months five computers have been donated to the kids.

It is hoped to increase the participation in the community and to focus on those areas where there is more need so as to fulfil the mission of the Foundation. Volunteers in Montreal, Vancouver and Victoria are also in the process of increasing their involvement in their respective communities.