As Mohanji, the Founder of ACT, says, “We become content, feel perpetual peace only when we become helpful in the world. “ I feel very happy and blessed to be a part of ACT Canada’s volunteer team. We collect nonperishable food and donate to different shelters for women and the homeless. Our team is doing different selfless activities with so much love and joy. Whenever I go to these places, I feel overwhelmed with the gratitude for being able to give my humble contribution for this selfless purpose. It’s a very beautiful experience of my life to see smiles and happiness on the face of needy people.

As a Ma-Tri Method practitioner, we donate half of the income to ACT USA and to witness that sum helping so many children and families out there brings so much joy and gratitude that can never be replaced. I am grateful to be part of this global platform where we can serve so many under one umbrella.

Food donation drives and other charity initiatives during Corona lockdown were memorable experiences. Since March 2020, humankind has experienced one of the most difficult times ever, during our lifetime.Fortunately, just before the lockdown, the ACT Canada volunteers group was able to contribute food and other snacks to the Homeless Shelter in downtown Toronto. It gave us immense pleasure to see the joy of homeless people enjoying the pizza lunch. During the lockdown, our volunteers have been contributing in their own way to Food Banks and other Organizations, where ever help was needed, especially to seniors that are isolated in their homes with no interaction. So individually we decided to help in a small way by contacting and talking to many of them and checking if they needed any help. Some of them desperately needed groceries as they could not drive. We really enjoy this, as it really makes them happy. We also decided to show our appreciation to the senior drivers of the community center who were risking their lives and helping seniors with emergency doctors appointments, delivering food from the community center to seniors (called ‘meals on wheels’) so we decided to thank them for their service in a small way by gifting them a Tim Horton’s gift card for$25 each. We have also been giving nonperishable items every month to the nearby food bank.

Before I started volunteering for ACT Foundation Croatia, I used to observe how people act within our community. I realized that, instead of blaming politicians, presidents, employers, etc. I could do something that would be my contribution to the community. That's how my volunteering started. By giving my time for the benefit of all, I learned what unconditional service means. I realized the beauty of giving what we have in abundance and asking nothing in return. I am grateful for this blessing of being a part of the ACT team of people working all over the world. Over the years, I made many new friends who share my love for selfless service. These friendships are precious.

For a long time, I have had a desire to volunteer in ACT. It sounded like a good way to fulfill my need to connect with likeminded people. ACT is a platform that exists to provide ways to help people, organizations, groups, and animals as well as nature unconditionally, out of the simple need to do something good in this chaotic world. That is my interpretation. My wish came true when I joined two years ago and I had the opportunity to attend Board meetings and record them for official reports. Slowly the activities increased, more and more of us connected and until now I gained so much experience. In addition to improving some of my skills such as running a Facebook page, organizing various activities and projects, implementing them, effective communication in a team, I also learned about life, saw many people living hard, faced the uncertainties of everyday life and learned what are the true values worth living for. It often happened to me that I helped myself more than anyone else through experiences and getting to know the problems and battles that people are fighting. And with all that, I have met wonderful people who are always there to listen, support, tolerate, empower, and serve together for the higher good and love that has united us.

I joined ACT Foundation as soon as I heard that regular ACT charity initiatives started in my city. I love being of help to both humans and animals because I equally love helping all living beings. As I serve those who have difficulties in life, I realize how blessed I am in my life and I am now grateful for everything that I used to take for granted. At the ACT Foundation, I have met wonderful people who always selflessly help those in need. And my 7-year-old daughter often participates with us in preparing vegan meals and thus learns the values of compassion, love, and helping the needy. As I share what I have in abundance, I feel rich because I stop giving attention to what I lack. I am happy to have the opportunity to help others because their gratitude and happiness fills my heart with joy. The more I give, the more I receive. life and I am now grateful for everything that I used to take for granted. At the ACT Foundation, I have met wonderful people who always selflessly help those in need. And my 7-year-old daughter often participates with us in preparing vegan meals and thus learns the values of compassion, love, and helping the needy. As I share what I have in abundance, I feel rich because I stop giving attention to what I lack. I am happy to have the opportunity to help others because their gratitude and happiness fills my heart with joy. The more I give, the more I receive.

In the words of a saint from India, Avadhoota Nadananda, social service is the mother or righteousness (“Seva mama dharma”). I strongly believe that and practice the same in my life. ACT USA is my chosen platform for selfless service, which enables me to serve every being on Earth. Social service through ACT taught me how to help selflessly without expectations. There is nobody outside of us. We are actually serving ourselves by serving all beings on this earth. My association with ACT USA started after I met Mohanji. One day I asked Mohanji what my strength was. He answered: selfless service.This really opened my eyes and inspired me to do selfless service. I love Ammu and that love is expressed through social service through Ammucare and ACT Foundation. I started looking at all beings as one. No separation, just love. This really transformed me and changed my perspective. I can say whenever I started serving selflessly my heart was just expanding and inner joy, happiness and contentment started evolving within me. I felt that, even if I could make one person smile in whichever way I can, my life is done. Through ACT we got numerous opportunities to serve people, not only in the USA but also in India, Peru, Ecuador. Most memorable experience was serving the sadhus in Varanasi and Arunachala in India. It was the most touching experience to serve such great selfless people, as well as young children in Varanasi. This experience made me feel like a child again. Food, water, clothing and shelter are the most important necessities for all beings on earth. Even the animals only need food and water. Everyday I keep a bowl of seeds and water to feed all the beings around my home. I also keep sweet nectar bottles for ants and hummingbirds. There is amazing power and deep fulfillment is selfless service. Social service through ACT taught me how to help selflessly without expectations. There is nobody outside of us. We are actually serving ourselves by serving all beings on this earth. My association with ACT USA started after I met Mohanji. One day I asked Mohanji what my strength was. He answered: selfless service.This really opened my eyes and inspired me to do selfless service. I love Ammu and that love is expressed through social service through Ammucare and ACT Foundation. I started looking at all beings as one. No separation, just love. This really transformed me and changed my perspective. I can say whenever I started serving selflessly my heart was just expanding and inner joy, happiness and contentment started evolving within me. I felt that, even if I could make one person smile in whichever way I can, my life is done. Through ACT we got numerous opportunities to serve people, not only in the USA but also in India, Peru, Ecuador. Most memorable experience was serving the sadhus in Varanasi and Arunachala in India. It was the most touching experience to serve such great selfless people, as well as young children in Varanasi. This experience made me feel like a child again. Food, water, clothing and shelter are the most important necessities for all beings on earth. Even the animals only need food and water. Everyday I keep a bowl of seeds and water to feed all the beings around my home. I also keep sweet nectar bottles for ants and hummingbirds. There is amazing power and deep fulfillment is selfless service.

I joined the ACT Slovenia team in December 2019. It was my suggestion to visit a shelter for abused women in Maribor. Three ladies from ACT Slovenia went there: Devi Mohan, Jelena Fassbender and myself. Women in the safe house accepted us with love. They were so happy to see us. First, we just talked with them. They opened up and shared their life difficulties with us. They felt we care. Then we conducted the Power of Purity meditation for them. All the women and the employees of the safe house were meditating with us. Some women cried. They were very grateful at the end as they felt much more light inside. They invited us to come back soon. As it was time before Christmas we gifted them some goodies and pajamas for their children. It meant a lot to them because they were not certain about the future for themselves and their children. For me, that was an experience that touched me very deeply as I am a woman and have children too. I am so grateful for that event and from then on I am always ready to join. I know, being there for people in need makes me experience so much joy, love and inner richness.

During selfless service, a big inner shift can happen when least expected. This is one of my recent experiences: This experience happened during one of our ACT Canada charity initiatives at the Food Bank. It was raining outside, making it more challenging to handle the food. Nevertheless, we had a good time. We saw a bunch of young volunteers at work unloading another donation that had arrived, constantly moving back and forth taking the stuff into the storage, and greeted us with a smile on their faces. While witnessing all that, something happened in my inner space. What that really was is difficult to put into words. I just stood there, observing them literally breathless. They were very organized, moving pretty fast, communicating, smiling. There was an amazing energy there. I don't know why, but this moment, this scene, touched me so much. I felt joyful tears welling in my eyes, my heart expanding endlessly… I have been feeling like that for the rest of the day. As soon as I bring the memory of this experience, my heart expands. When the coordinator, again a very young lady, approached us, I told her how wonderful they are. She was happy and proud to hear that. The whole interaction with us was so pleasant and enjoyable. We had a little conversation about future donation supplies, and after giving them organization info, we left. The absolute truth is really hard to describe, but I know from the depth of my heart it was the invisible hand of Divine that is brightening our path. A group of very young people, of different nationalities, colors, races, are working hard all together in such harmony and beauty. I am so grateful for this experience. I know that will stay with me for as long as I live. Thank you, Mohanji and ACT family, for teaching me, for making things happen.

Mohanji says that Charity is the compensation that we pay to mother earth for our opportunity called Life. So let's utilize this life for a higher purpose. Inspired and motivated by Mohanji, I feel privileged and blessed to be a part of the ACT Canada team and grateful to Mohanji for giving us this platform to serve the needy in the community. With his grace we are able to serve and donate to the shelters for the homeless, women's shelters, food bank, food drives, and also offer any kind of help to seniors or anyone in need. Life feels precious and each charity initiative gives us a reason to do our best to bring smiles to those who are not so privileged to have even one meal a day. I thank Mohanji, our team and all the donors and volunteers who make this possible. ️

When I started volunteering in the ACT Foundation I didn't even dream that it can bring such a huge transformation into my life. I am thrilled that in the last two years we more than tripled the number of charity actions. We established cooperation with a lot of organizations for people with special needs, children and people shelters, we helped a lot of underprivileged families with food, medicaments, hygiene products, and other needs. My heart is full because my children also participate in many charity initiatives, especially to underprivileged families and children shelters. They have an opportunity to contribute, see a different way of living and open themselves for empathy. Among many beautiful initiatives, what touched me the most was the experience from the center for abandoned children with learning disabilities in Subotica town. We had a chance to communicate in a nonverbal manner with the love and gratitude that those children have. Few of them prepared a short play for us with recitals and songs. I don’t remember that I ever felt such a heart-opening in any meditation, as I felt at that moment. All volunteers had tears in their eyes. We got so much love which can’t be compared with a donation we made. There are so many beautiful initiatives, but what is unique is that one always gets more than one gives. Wherever we went, aside from food, we brought a smile, a good mood and sometimes we even danced and laughed together. All these charity initiatives taught us that for the needy, the most important thing is attention and love. It's hard to explain emotional satisfaction after doing any charity initiative. One simply has to experience it. We go with full hands and get back with full hearts. I faced human stories that are hard to even imagine. I am amazed by the bravery and modesty of some people we reached. There is a lot to learn during such interactions. This action taught me to be grateful for every moment of my life and to become more modest. A lot of people believe that as individuals they can’t do much to minimize suffering in the world. But in the essence that's not true. Collective responsibility starts with each individual. ACT Foundation grows day by day with more and more volunteers and various initiatives. and so is the number of people we can help. Someone once said “Man is truly rich when he shares what he has with others.” Volunteering in the ACT Foundation showed me how much that is true. I am deeply grateful for that life experience.

Two years ago I had spoken with the founder of the ACT Foundation, dear Mohanji. Among other things, he told me: “Look for what you can do for the world and let the Universe take care of you.” Just after I left his room I heard some conversation between ACT volunteers and the President of ACT Global, Devi Mohan. They needed help in Belgrade. I said without thinking: “Whatever I can do, I’ll do it.” That’s how it all started. During the last two years with my fellow ACT volunteers, I participated in the organization of humanitarian music concerts, humanitarian vegan dinners, distribution of New Year's packages for kids, feeding the homeless, visits to socially disadvantaged families, and also held Laughter yoga for people with disabilities. Sometimes it requires a lot of time and energy but when it comes to a realization, you are literally overwhelmed by grace. When we visited the Cerebral Palsy Association I was amazed at how much positive energy many of them radiate, how strong their spirit was, especially of parents. Some above-average strength, spark in the eyes, devotion to their children. You cannot remain untouched, but at the same time, you realize how many reasons you have to be grateful for your own life. I hope that the ACT network of volunteers will increase so that we can multiply the effect in the future until one day there is no more need for it. With love and gratitude to be a part of the ACT FOUNDATION.

Food donation drives by ACT Foundation Canada did not stop during Covid lockdown. Four of us started out at a meeting point one day to drop off canned food and pizza. I was so calm and excited at the same time. Meeting with the other like minded people and travelling in one vehicle was fun. We picked up the pizza and headed downtown. Reaching the center we all had a warm welcome by the Center Manager. She took us to the kitchen where they cooked for the homeless. The cook was so happy to receive the fresh fruits and vegetables that we delivered. We were very fortunate to serve the pizza to some of the guests that were there that day for lunch. It was a blessing to be able to serve and to see the humbleness on their faces. I cannot help everyone but the little that I can means a lot. All of us can help at least a few people for one meal or for one day.

There is something special in giving, sharing, creating, expressing love. After joining ACT, I realized that the most common act of kindness which we see as a small drop, may actually mean the ocean to someone. Through selfless service we become closer to ourselves, to our family, our community, entire world... We realize how many blessings there are in our life and how connected all of us truly are. Nothing should be taken for granted, not even a bread crumb from the dinner table ... After charity initiatives, I noticed how I naturally started feeling much greater gratitude in my heart for everything I have, and what I don't have .The inner child woke up in me, long-awaited dreams came to life, and deep gratitude to those who have much less than me. Even if we don't have money to donate, we surely have time, knowledge, skills, excess food or at least a smile. Blessed are those who see gratitude in everything and consciously benefit from selfless service.

I became an ACT volunteer more than three years ago. My family and I found ourselves in the most challenging situation. None of the social welfare institutions and other associations wanted to help us. It was then that I met Helena from ACT Foundation Croatia, a person who immediately offered a helping hand, understanding and compassion. That was how our cooperation started and my family’s situation improved at all levels. Out of my immense gratitude, I felt encouraged that I too could do something for others. A small part of my time and knowledge was offered for selfless service. What I love about ACT is that everything is perfectly transparent and simple. One also gets to meet wonderful people so that our activities, as demanding as they can be, pass with ease and love. Our reward is gratitude and blessing for supporting the needy. By doing so, we are happy to make a difference. We are like fireflies in the dark, with hands reaching out to the needy. Volunteering makes me a better and happier person!

As an ACT volunteer, I am happy to contribute to my community and other people, whenever I can. One of my favorite charity initiatives was ACT Croatia team’s support of the Fido Animal Welfare Association, which was suddenly, without any notice, left without financial help from the city. Our ACT jumped in and donated the food so that those beautiful animals could survive. What I love the most about ACT is the special energy we are showered with during selfless service. It is felt deeply.

Volunteering for the ACT foundation USA as it’s committee member and doing selfless service, gathering all my family and friends for the community service, has been one of my biggest gifts in my life. I learnt that every small ” act” of service makes an impact, be it feeding one homeless person on the streets or many people. There is no end or limitation on how one can expand this selfless service to spread to a myriad of people or beings. From 2016, I saw how the ACT Foundation USA has been growing, steadily but strongly. Today it has reached new horizons where people from all walks of life are joining us and helping us to perform “One positive ACT everyday”!!! ACT keeps rejuvenating me and also teaching my kids the joy in giving and serving others. Words cannot express enough but I am grateful to this platform founded by our dear friend and guide Mohanji.

Mohanji, the Founder of ACT, says: “Unite the world through love, kindness, compassion, and companionship”. Every little or big act of kindness is a step towards this goal and I am thankful to be a part of it! ‘One World, One Family’ is our mission and what better way to live it than through acts of kindness; a smile, a little bit of time or sharing of one’s time or skills - there are many ways to give! I started volunteering in ACT in 2015, when I had an opportunity to distribute food packets to the pavement dwellers in India. Since then, I have been volunteering regularly and have witnessed how amazingly everything would fall into place in the most difficult circumstances. It could be a snow plough that would turn up before my car in the middle of a snowstorm, just in time to clear the road and allow my car, loaded with food and warm clothing, to pass and distribute the same to the local Soup Kitchen. In another instance, it became difficult to donate to a local Soup Kitchen and I was desperately trying to find another place to complete my next month’s donation that had already been planned. Just in time, I was able to speak to a Shelter that not only had a soup kitchen for town residents, but also housed many homeless in its building. They were very happy to learn that we wanted to donate fresh food! In recent months, we are happy to see an increase in our volunteer base. We have been supporting initiatives in Peru for sometime now. Recently, we also started activities in new countries such as Ecuador and Brazil. Despite the difficulties with social distancing requirements, we have donated approximately 1600 kgs of dry non perishable food between April and September 2020! It gives me immense satisfaction to be involved in such positive acts. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve and feel honored to be writing this testimonial for ACT USA !

Volunteering for ACT Peru has been a huge learning process for me. As I was the only volunteer here in Peru when we started, and Mohanji told me that we need to feed children in the Cusco region that is more than 1000 km away from the capital city where I live, I was petrified. We did not have any funds nor people to do it, and on top of everything, I had never been good at planning and organizing anything. Nevertheless, two things were crystal clear to me, Mohanji is with me and he knows why he says something. So, timidly I started making some calls, overcoming my fears and getting out of my comfort zones. And “magically” we got financial help from ACT USA, a friend of my friend’s friend knew some people in Cusco, stainless steel plates were donated by a person from Lima that I had never seen, and so on. Pure Divine Grace. We managed to feed 36 children 3 times a week during the whole school year, and we donated flee jackets to all of them and helped organize a big Christmas party for them. The year 2020 was more challenging due to Coronavirus lockdown. Peru has been severely hit, but we managed to keep and even spread our activities to the Lima region as well, thanks to strategic alliances with different organizations that have a bigger ground force. A lot of different new activities took place this year, such as, regular food donating to children shelter, school supplies donations, food and blanket donations to indigenous people from jungle who live in Lima and were mercilessly hit by the virus, food donations for poor families who are living on the desert outskirts of Lima, etc. My experience with ACT Peru is a living example of Mohanji´s words: “I give the idea and empowerment, but you have to act.” And once we start acting – Grace flows. The year 2020 was more challenging due to Coronavirus lockdown. Peru has been severely hit, but we managed to keep and even spread our activities to the Lima region as well, thanks to strategic alliances with different organizations that have a bigger ground force. A lot of different new activities took place this year, such as, regular food donating to children shelter, school supplies donations, food and blanket donations to indigenous people from jungle who live in Lima and were mercilessly hit by the virus, food donations for poor families who are living on the desert outskirts of Lima, etc. My experience with ACT Peru is a living example of Mohanji´s words: “I give the idea and empowerment, but you have to act.” And once we start acting – Grace flows.