In 1993, I was asked by H.H. Mukunda Goswami to start working on the first edition of the Hare Krishna Food for Life Training Manual. I had only just left Australia to join Maharaja on preaching Food for Life around Eastern Europe and for most of that year I traveled all over the FSU (Former Soviet Union), at one point visiting 44 temples in 2 months, lecturing and training devotees in this new field of preaching.
I had some experience from my work in Australia, but in no way could I consider myself an expert in the field. However, I had read just about everything that Prabhupada had said about prasadam distribution by then, much of which was still not available to the Russian devotees. Some of the stories and quotes I shared with the devotees back then were revolutionary, leading many to be suspicious of my intentions and for some to even see me as a threat to the “real program” of book distribution!
The first edition of the Food for Life Training Manual was published in 1994 with the help of Devaprastha prabhu, who was Mukunda Goswami’s assistant at ISKCON Communications.
The basic idea behind the book was to provide the philosophical foundation for starting a FFL project and providing clear guidance to the devotees as to how, where, when, and why a FFL project could make their preaching successful. The early manuals were patiently copied and bounded and sold at Mayapur festivals and to any temple I would visit.
In 2005, I released a new edition of the manual, with updated information on health and nutrition and strategies. Now in 2015, a new (324 page) edition is available with more valuable insight, including new quotes from Prabhupada, tips, guidelines and success stories.
The new 2015-edition of the Food for Life Training Manual will provide basic guidelines on various aspects of starting, maintaining, promoting and utilizing your Food for Life program to share Krishna’s mercy. In some areas we have gone into great detail; however, because of the varying circumstances devotees find themselves in, most of what is given in this manual is general guidance. We don’t assume that every aspect is covered, nor do we think that every question is answered. However, we are confident that there is enough to get you well on your way to operating a very successful Food for Life program. We believe the information at hand will be extremely useful, not only for those devotees involved in Food for Life, but for all Hare Krishna devotees, especially managers.
His Holiness Mukunda Goswami had this to say:
“Any devotee who is serious about improving ISKCON’s reputation through Hare Krishna Food for Life will profit immensely by reading this book cover-to-cover. I heartily recommend that the reader thoroughly understand the manual’s cogent philosophical points (all based on Srila Prabhupada’s teachings), and as much as possible put its practical instructions into action.
“If you do this, it is certain that merit will accrue to the reputation of Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON. Each advance of the Hare Krishna Food for Life program brings ISKCON a step closer to taking its rightful place on the world stage. The present publication is stirring testimony to the fact that Priyavrata prabhu has rendered a great service to ISKCON and to humanity at large. He will surely publish future editions of this manual, updating it at regular intervals so that it remains current and relevant for years to come.
“I am eternally indebted to Priyavrata for his selfless determination and dedication to assist me in helping to develop this essential field of Krishna consciousness activity.”
Topics include:
– The Meaning of Food for Life
– How do I start my Food for Life program?
– Research and Targeting
– Where Should I Distribute?
– Srila Prabhupada’s Standards
– Emergency Food Relief
– What Did Prabhupada Say?
– Rebuttal to Jayadvaita Swami’s “Food for Death” Seminars
– What Should I Distribute?
– How Should I Distribute?
– Vaisnava Etiquette
– Marketing with FFL
– Communicating/preaching through Food for Life
– Government Relations
– Media Relations
– Fundraising with Food for Life
– Government Funding
– Management
– Why is Food for Life Important?
– How Does Food for Life Help Book Distribution?
– How Does Food for Life Attract the Support of the Leaders?
– Food for Life farms
– WAYS FOR A SMALL GROUP TO HAVE A BIG IMPACT
ORDER NOW
You can order your printed copy online for $24.95 at http://www.lulu.com/shop/priyavrata-das/food-for-life-training-manual/paperback/product-22396626.html
or GET THE START UP KIT
For those interested in getting the full start up kit provided by Food for Life Global, visit
http://www.ffl.org/get-involved/downloads/ffl-start-up-kit
PASSWORD FOR Private Page: Prasadam
You can download all the files after a donation of $79. There are 16 files included in the kit.
FFL Manual (3rd Edition)
FFL Global Rep Guidelines
The 10 Ingredients of Success
Pure Vegetarianism Brochure
Best Prasadam Quotes
How to Raise a lot of Money Now
HK FFL logo
HK FFL logo (illustrator)
Food for Life Volunteer Handbook
Food for Life Affiliate Standards
FFLG Affiliate Logo
FFL Media Kit
FFL Information Brochure
FFL Sample Constitution
Lecture on FFL
101 Reasons to be Vegetarian
Priyavrata das
International Director
Food for Life Global
http://www.ffl.org