You can help us tremendously by sending cash donations, via paypal, Western Union or bank transfer. Please note the following information, which is also in the Appeal section on this website.

Note: Many of these items are available in India, however at exorbitant prices. In view of shipping costs and potential customs charges, it might be much easier to send cash. Again, I myself used to prefer sending in kind so it is completely up to you.

Bread – bread mixes, muffin mixes, all kinds.

Butter – powdered butter, buttermilk and margarine (Survival Acres) to add to rice for added nutritional value.

Canned foods – peaches, pineapple, apricots, also canned juices, canned vegetables such as beans, peas, corn, also soups like tomato soup, broccoli soup, asparagus soup, potato soup.

Cereals – oatmeal, farina, bran flakes, raisin bran, granola, muesli and all other varieties. They last long and provide essential calories and nutrients.

Cheese - only non-perishable cheeses should be sent, canned cheese or bottled cheese spreads, cheddar cheese powder, cheese and cracker snacks.

Cookies – all kinds of cookies, in packets or round tin cans. Scores of varieties lie on American supermarket shelves. Please pick some up and send them here. Granola bars are excellent. Along with crackers, they will be the first item distributed to flood, drought and other natural disaster victims.

Crackers - salty crackers, plain, wheat, cheese biscuits, all kinds of snack items. Potato chips, corn chips, pretzels, cheese crackers, saltine crackers. These also would be the first items that we will distribute during floods and other disasters.

Dried beans - Including black eyed peas, chick peas (garbanzo), pigeon peas, green split peas, yellow split peas, adzuki beans, asuki beans, black adzuki beans, black beans, pinto beans, borlotti beans, navy beans, broad beans, fava beans, white kidney beans, pink beans, great northern beans, lupine beans, mung beans, red beans, red kidney beans, rice beans, soya beans, Swedish brown beans. All these peas and beans are extremely expensive to purchase in India, but just extremely cheap to buy at any supermarket in US and other countries. The protein and calorie value of all these is high.

Drinks - powdered cocoa, powdered Kool Aid, powdered peach, orange, apple drinks (available at Survival Acres). Any powdered drinks are welcome, particularly to cure dehydration. Instant coffee, tea bags or loose tea, powdered ice tea loose or in packets are all invaluable, particularly for people recovering from flu who need liquid and sugar. Juice boxes in cartons that don’t require refrigeration are also welcome. Electrolyte drinks such as Gatoraid and Poweraid are again invaluable, particularly in disaster situations.

Flour – all kinds, including all purpose, bleached, whole wheat, buckwheat, rye. These should have preservatives to counteract the high humidity here.

Fruits – all kinds, dehydrated-dried and freeze-dried, including apricots, bananas, peaches, pineapple, prunes, raisins, strawberries, blueberries, dates, blackberries. All have a long lifespan and can easily be sent here. The cost of these in US is again minimal compared to the cost in India, if at all they are available.

Grains - including oats, oat bran, oat groats, millet, rye, barley, chick peas, corn, sorghum, soya and other grains. All these are available in India but at hefty prices.

Honey - All kinds are welcome, including crystallized honey, pasteurized honey, raw honey, strained honey, ultrafiltered honey, whipped honey, comb honey and chunk honey (comb honey in liquid honey) are all welcome here. Hungry people need some sugar source and honey is the best there is. Molasses will also be welcome. Available in India but out of range for 90 percent of the population.

Milk – canned and powdered, including powdered milk, powdered buttermilk, nonfat milk

Nuts – all kinds, including almonds, walnuts, pistachios, cashews, pecans, peanuts, raw or salted. All nuts should be in sealed packages.

Pastas – all kinds, including spaghetti, vermicelli, macaroni, noodles, lasagna,

Peanut butter - all kinds that you find in your supermarket or health food store, including raw, organic, creamy or chunky. Such a cheap item in US supermarkets would do wonders for hungry people here in India. Plastic bottles are far better from weight standpoint.

Popcorn – all kinds which have a one year shelf life.

Pudding Cups – all flavours, including chocolate, vanilla, tapioca, rice pudding, banana pudding, etc. They last up to a year and can be a welcome change from dried non-perishable foods. Also powdered pudding packets and jellos, powdered custards are welcome.

Rice - this staple product is invaluable. It is certainly available here in India but again at a steep price due to spiraling inflation. All varieties are welcome.

Salt – it’s certainly available here, but if you prefer to send in kind, it would be wonderful, as large quantities are required daily.

Sugar – white, brown, confectioner’s (powdered white) will all be welcome. Maybe in US we would not take, but here people need those calories and they need sugar for strength. Again, all sugar should be in sealed packages.

Tomatoes – tomatoes in India cost a fortune. Please send canned tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, tomato soup. Other soups would also be good such as broccoli, potato, asparagus. But cans of tomato paste are invaluable where fresh tomatoes are out of reach cost-wise for this project.

Water – bottled water, available in India and probably better to obtain here itself. Badly required in times of floods, droughts and other natural disasters. Ideally we need a three-day supply of bottled water per person during disasters. For this item, it is far better to send cash and specify it be used for bottled water.

Yeast – packets for bread-making