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A film by Katie Teague. More at Storm Cloud Media.

Imagine a restaurant where you pay-forward for the person after you. How long might the chain of generosity last? At Karma Kitchen, in three cities around the United States, it has gone on for close to 25 thousand people -- and is still going. Katie Teague provides a thoughtful and hopeful portrait of how gift economy can work.

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    Monica Castillo

    What a fantastic way of being in community. This should be across the world.

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    Hung Vu

    So profound thougts. "What we received is what we unconsciously gave"

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    stephane dimess

    it's amazing

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    Adonia

    I love the quote from the video about changing the mentality from a "me" orientation to a "we" orientation. It is remarkable.

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    tom

    Excellent Blog! I have been impressed by your thoughts and the way you http://www.astronomyindia.org/concrete-diamond-grinding-equipment/">magnetic broom sweeper

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    Abhinav

    This is Moving from Inside Out literally.. Karma kitchen happens to be the vanguard of a change that has implications to move this world from egocentric economic to unbound social welfare.

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    becky jaine

    Your site NEVER fails to inspire and educate and UPLIFT! YES! Love this video: This is exactly what I do in my work.www.beckyjaine.com/gifting I just added this video to my page. Fabulous! I'm still early days, only made $1000 sacred money last year, but as more and more people learn about how and why I'm doing it, it seems more and more people want to help me with supplies for my programs, to scholarships for women and girls. I chooose to focus on human currency and have faith that me and my family will always receive what we need. It's not easy, but it takes each of us doing what we believe to create a movement. and it's time!!!! peace!

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    Raj Dusad

    Food not only for thought but for action too

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    barb ryan

    I was inspired to do my business this way. I teach classes on Happiness. I talk about Karma Kitchen and then I say there is a Happy Fund that has paid for you to be in this class and then ask what can you pay forward to the next Happiness class. Everyone feels gifted and has the opportunity to give.

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    Thierry Plante

    Awesome and congratulations.....thank you for being such a beautiful people....would love to live this experience on both side, as a client and volunteer.....wish a great great journey to all of you.

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    Cherby

    I would so love to volunteer for this project. Financially I can't pay it forward, but spiritually I always can. Are there any places in the Ventura County area or Los Angeles county? I adore this project!!!!

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    Melissa

    I love this idea, it shows every day people that their small acts are worth it. I wish we had more like this. Any time i think of Karma i think of the movie pay it forward, when it came out every one helped each other. We need that again.

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    Nagraj Prabhu

    Great concept! I wish we can somehow replicate this in a developing country like India or in African sub-continent

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    saivenkatesh

    This is what is called LOVE ALL AND SERVE ALL....WE ARE ALL CONNECTED...THE SANATHANA DHARMA SAYS...SUTRA ATMA THEORY...KEEP IT UP.

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    Anjali

    If we really want to contribute to the society,Universe is always ready to assist for building up the chain of love and genorisity.Karma Kitchen is one such endeavor and inspiration to many to practice the basic core human values.

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    Eunice

    The connection that is in everything and how this restaurant practices this in every aspect .. I am often starving because occasions to practice spirituality is normalized to mainly places of worship .. To live in the spirit of all that is and being through constant practice ever mindful aware of infinite loving subtleties ... Limitless Creative expressions of in all welcome... The receiver and giver are the same infinite creative expression of unlimited what is love

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    Radhika

    Its a concept I have followed since you began. Absolutely love it !

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    Brandy Patterson

    My heart weeped and opened watching this video to see acts of love. It is evidence that love can sustain,that we are supported by God and to loosen fears hold upon us. This short video reminded me to trust that all our basic needs are continuously being met and to step out with a heart of service and love. To change my perspective from not enough to more than enough. To be willing to open my arms and heart to all brothers and sisters on the planet. Thank you for your generous hearts and for positive change.

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    Kiko

    The change of the concept of trading every thing for the money into willingly paying someone u have never met the meal that he is about eat.

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    glenn

    I think the change of perception from:"wow , look what I got for free to " someone I don't know did this for me.Let me pass on this kindnessto someone else "

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    Susan

    This is the manifestation of The Shift in consciousness that is required for our country, our world to not only survive, but to thrive. Thank you for trusting your impulse to pay it forward in this way. May many blesssings return and circle round and round for you and all those you touch.

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    vijay walia

    Interest for those below the ladder

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    Sheela Ramakrishnan

    To " give " to someone whom will never say " thank you " to you - a profound thought. Great concept of Pay Forward for a more loving world. Very inspiring.

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    Pat Hunt

    The Play it Forward philosophy - love it in all aspects, from paying for the person's toll behind you to something like this - it WOULD be a wondrous world if we could get others to incorporate it daily in some fashion. Pat Hunt

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    really really gift economy

    This is a MISINFORMATION! IN GIFT ECONOMY everything is really a gift - no money can be used in this play! Someone is trying to keep the use of money in a gift economy and corrupt the movement!

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    Dr.b.N.Dave

    I am just aware to friends and do service

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    elizabeth

    K-Love radio has done this very thing every week. It's great that generosity is taking hold in more places and affecting more people. Right on!

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    Barb

    So encouraging to know that amidst these difficult times, that there are others out there still keeping the hope alive by sharing the love... happy to pay it forward. I recently saw on TV special of a classy soup kitchen that does sme thing. If people could not afford it, they were not expected to pay anything and if they can afford it they can pay whatever they wanted. great compassion in these difficult times.

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    Sonora wallace

    I Love This..... Like paying for a coffee, move pass or some gas... Love it live it

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    Clarelynn Rose

    This is amazing. What he says about confusing value and money is beautiful. I'm going to try gifting 100 of my CDs and see if this works for sharing my music. :-) Sooooo inspiring!!!!

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    Hunter Dickson

    I love it. This is what I have been searching for. This concept I am going to wrap into my own offering Hunter http://www.DeepenMyLife.com

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    bindu gandhi

    i m extremely impressed by this divine work done by nipun mehta n his team......keep it up nipun.....the world desperately needs more people like u......

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    Priscilla Johnson

    This is truly amazing. Great gifts of each neighbors.

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    Margie

    Just love this

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    Amy Handy

    Please start a Karma Kitchen in Montpelier, Vermont ! I will be happy to volunteer there. It's a wonderful idea to change from "what can I get" to "what can I contribute." Thank you.

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    LINDA BRANNON

    THIS IS HOW "WE THE PEOPLE" ARE GOING TO CHANGE THE WORLD AND MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE!!! BACK TO FORGOTTEN SIMPLICITIES OF LIFE, AS WHEN WHOLE TOWN WOULD COME TOGETHER TO HELP WITH SAY A BARN RAISING...ETC.HELP THY NEIGHBOR...ARE WE SO HARDEN WE HAVE FORGOTTEN HOW GOOD IT FEELS TO DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR ANOTHER??? I LOVE THIS AND SHAME ON THE BIG COMPANIES...OH YES THEY GIVE ETC. BUT IS IT THE KIND OF GIVING THAT KEEPS GIVING AND INVOLVES OUR CHILDREN. EVERYTIME I SEE OR HEAR OR READ WHERE IT SAYS GO TOWWW.COM....I CANNOT HELP BUT THINK OF HOW MANY PEOPLE,CHILDREN,SENIORS ETC DO NOT HAVE COMPUTERS OR CANNOT AFFORD INTERNET ACCESS....AND ON AND ON...KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND MAY YOU ALL BE BLESSED. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED. I APPLAUDE YOU AND SHARE....

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    Anne Veh

    What a beautiful gift to share to my children and to my husband. They always ask me, why is it so important to you to serve at Karma Kitchen. It's hard for me to find the words, other than Karma Kitchen is helping me grow in love and generosity. Every time I come home from serving, my children embrace me tightly. I like to think, they feel my heart wide open. Thank you to all who helped make this special video.

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    vaibhav joshi

    Its great to see that people not just as a profit motive business move forward, but contributing to the society and making them learn basic lesson of life "The family which eats together stays together" The best thing was the ambiance around "To Give" the main motto.

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    Nick Armstrong

    I absolutely Love, Love, Love this! :) Our thoughts/thinking create our realities - we are the architects of our reality and futures - as individuals, and, collectively as societies... :) Change your thinking = change your reality.. :) Love is Life, Life is Love - and this is how we start to change our world and the current thinking mired in greed and thoughtless consumption... :) Love your work! :) Life - Feel it! Live it! Love it! :) Cheers from Cape Town, South Africa.

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    S.Venkatteshprasanna

    The belief that the more you give the better you live, the satisfaction of giving is more than the satisfaction of recieving. (Can something like this happen in India? Check out the KarmaTube video on Seva Cafe).

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    vijya

    What a great shift in paradigm that combines love with business and encourages others to do the same! It's an idea that will generate new ideas. This is a 21st century miracle!

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    Admin

    Friends, there are various Karma Kitchens in the US -- Berkeley, Chicago, and Washington DC. You can visit KarmaKitchen.org to find out more. If you'd like to start one in your local community, check out the 'How to Start a Local Karma Kitchen' guide.

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    Margaret

    Love, Generosity and kindness are all indeed so true and around us. Thanks, Nipun and your lovely family.

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    as

    inspiring

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    Karin Parramore

    It is about Love, to quote Nipun. If we can learn to let it, Love really can make the world go around! Nipun, there is no better word than Love to describe what is running KK.

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    Henry

    Brilliant idea,i wish to Start a similar service in Uganda to promote culture of giving

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    Georges Tchuileng,CS

    Thank you so much for this wonderfully inspiring move.One with good is a majority.

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    deepak

    Inspirational . Thank you .

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    Patrick Oliver

    This enlightening idea is spreading all over the world and not just limited to food. There is a non-profit in Oregon whose services are all predicated on an economy-of-giving, where all food, programs, classes, workshops, and events are provided free of charge, based on the generosity of someone who has come before them. www.OMfield.org for more information and inspiration. Love and light to all...

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    firdaus

    how do we get you guys to open one of these in London?

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    Serena

    How can I help? How can I serve Karma Kitchen?

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    Anda

    This moved me to tears... and the act of giving is wonderful.. I was only reminded of that yesterday when I went to buy a fire pit and the store was out of stock... two of the salesmen offered me there old fire pits for a beer.. then for nothing I gave the wonderful man a six pack... my daughter and her friends enjoyed a lovely fire last night... and I was reminded again that the universe does provide... karma is reciprocated.. giving without expecting anything in return manifests itself into more goodwill!! This would be lovely to have here in Australia.. time to start talking to friends about making it possible... Tracy in Tampa... maybe you should gather like minded friends & friends to be together and set one up!

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    Devika Follosco

    EVERYONE & EVERYTHING! The concept, the practice, the growth of truly giving and receiving for the value of the act ... PROFOUND! thank you. May it spread throughout our nation and world, supporting the sense of true community, and deepening of generosity and gratitude. SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!

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    Roberto

    It is one beautiful idea to change people's perception of "money", have fun and share with humans. We became human doings instead of our nature human BEings. Love and blessings

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    shelley

    I love the beauty and generosity of the Kitchen. And I hope someday the young man who works at Lawrence Livermore will make the connection and quit his job - instead of coming to be cleansed to build more death machines!

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    Tracy Blalock

    You guys are awesome! I was inspired nearly two years ago by someone who was paying for the person behind them at Starbucks. I've been doing it ever since and have been blessed ten fold. I've met new friends, been hugged, kissed--and some say no but then come up after and say they were just shocked, that no one has ever done anything like that for them before. I've had people who just lost one of their parents. You never know what kind of day someone has had and one small gesture can make a huge difference to them. I've had people I've bought for race to beat each other in to pay for me--the giving spirit is absolutely contagious. Keep up the great work! When are you going to open one in Tampa?

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    karmen

    yeah that would all be very nice if it wasnt all in vain. why? you are still collecting bad karma, and veeeeeeeeery bad actaually. how? because by your cooking you are supporting and PAYING FOR this -- thousands upon millions and millions of living sentient beings just like us undergoing unimaginable suffering and finally death. Unless ur restorants are vegan? ;)

  • Page 1

  • Read how a volunteer at Karma Kitchen Chicago experienced her first-time volunteering at KK.  Sign up to volunteer yourself!
  • Engage with the gift-economy.  Look at various projects, like a Rickshaw in India, that operate in this way.
  • Think of ways in which you can bring the gift culture into your life.  Gift something today, with a trust in sacred reciprocity.

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