Durga Das Email & Phone Number

I'm the Executive Director of The River Fund New York. My passion and devotion to serve those in need manifests in the service work we facilitates on the streets of New York and in health care facilities in the tri-state area. In my role, for well over two decades, I have organized one-on-one service programs in the New York area such as The River Fund’s Choice Pantry/CBO on-site POS Center, Mobile Outreach Programs Street Relief and Under the Boardwalk and The Rounds Program. I presently sit on the Advisory Board of The Food Bank for New York City.With the blessings and guidance of my spiritual teacher Ma Jaya, I founded The River Fund New York in 1991 to serve those battling social, economic and health challenges. The River Fund New York’s primary focus of addressing hunger and those issues surrounding food insufficiency serves the hungry, children, low-income seniors/families, the homeless and those living with HIV/AIDS. I began my service work as a volunteer Case Manager for the AIDS Center of Queens County and eventually became the Buddy Program Coordinator. I also sit on the Board of the Kashi Foundation founded by Ma Jaya; an Interfaith Community which is at the forefront of the global struggle for human rights, religious freedom and health care issues. I was a participant at the Millennium Peace Summit of World Religious and Spiritual Leaders at the United Nations. In addition, I'm a representative at the National Religious Leadership Roundtable – the diplomatic arm of the Policy Institute of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. I am an Interfaith Teacher who speaks on the benefits of service, purpose and meditation. I travel and teach meditation and facilitates service programs throughout the United States. As a monk for 30 years I am dedicated to embracing all paths of kindness and compassion.Specialties: nonprofit management, food pantry management, volunteer management

Listed skills include Non Profits, Non Profit Marketing, Non Profit Administration, Non Profit Communications, and 10 others.

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  Ceo

  The River Fund New York

  Jan 1991 - Present

  The River Fund feeds and empowers those we serve to move beyond the lines of poverty:*children*the homeless*low-income seniors*working poor families*children and adults living with HIV/AIDSTowards this end, we support and affirm all people with equal regard to age, gender, creed, ethnic origin andsexual orientation.Public demand for Food Pantry services has risen by 40% per year since 2004.The River Fund served more than 81,000 people in 2009… Show more The River Fund feeds and empowers those we serve to move beyond the lines of poverty:*children*the homeless*low-income seniors*working poor families*children and adults living with HIV/AIDSTowards this end, we support and affirm all people with equal regard to age, gender, creed, ethnic origin andsexual orientation.Public demand for Food Pantry services has risen by 40% per year since 2004.The River Fund served more than 81,000 people in 2009 and based on current trends for food insufficiency, we will serve 100,000 people in 2010. Current economic strains are affecting middle-income New Yorkers with increasing difficulty in affording food. Food poverty is no longer a problem for only low-income New Yorkers. Food insufficiency precipitates diet-related conditions such as diabetes, obesity and hypertension and reduces possibilities for a healthy lifestyle, especially among women, children, seniors, the working poor and people with disabilities. We expect to meet our client's growing needs in 2010 and beyond.We hope you will support us in reaching our goals:*receiving and storing more products*increasing distribution services*feeding more people and*enhancing our programsPlease help us make a difference in the lives of people who live in hunger.No donation is ever too small.If you need additional information, please give us a call 718.441.1125 or email us at info@riverfund-ny.org Show less

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  Queens College, City University Of New York