PORTUGAL
Our teams members Luckshmi Lucy Cannon and Gita Ulla Rapazote are supporting local charities and individuals in their region.
Lucy Cannon (Luckshmi) who is based in the Algarve is supporting a charity called CASA, as well as individuals that need support. She donates the money from her Tuesday evening Integral Yoga class that is offered at Quinta da Calma and from individual donations from students. For Christmas, she does a fund raising to help provide hampers to over 400 people in the Faro area.
Ulla Rapazote (Gita) who is based in Estoril has arranged many fundraisers even before SIS was officially formed in 2010. She raised over 10,000 euros for SIS Nepal in 2008 . Every year she invites Nalanie Chellaram to Portugal to give talks and courses. All the donations that come in are given to SIS to support our existing projects. Gita's main project now is collecting food and necessities for Christmas hampers to families in need in the Estoril/Cascais areas, and to run a weekly study/meditation group - a Sangha - in her area, based on the teachings of Swami Satchidananda and Nalanie Chellaram.
C.A.S.A. - Support Centre for underprivileged & homeless
C.A.S.A. is a 100% volunteer, non-profit association inspired and founded by Tulku Péma Wangyal Rinpoché, its Honorary President. The association’s objectives are to provide food, clothing, accommodation and support to the underprivileged and homeless.
C.A.S.A. is a national organization, with chapters all over Portugal and Madeira, providing help to thousands of people. In the Algarve, C.A.S.A. volunteers help poor families at various food distribution centers and soup kitchens, and street teams deliver meals to the elderly and the homeless in Faro, Faro Island, Montenegro, Quarteira and Albufeira. C.A.S.A. aims to extend its activities to wherever there are people in need of basic necessities.
HOW C.A.S.A. WORKS
C.A.S.A. receives staple foods and meals donated daily from supermarkets and markets; meals are also kindly donated by restaurants, hotels and schools; clothing, blankets and furniture are given by schools, stores and individuals; and monetary donations are raised through sponsored events or generously given by individuals and charities.
There are no paid staff at C.A.S.A. Underprivileged families who receive donated goods, meals and staple foods from C.A.S.A. also volunteer a minimum of 6 hours a week for C.A.S.A. and everyone participates in regular supermarket collection campaigns.
Gita & friends prepairing Christmas Hampers
