Address lack of healthy food on this World Food Day

"Grow, Nourish, Sustain. Together" is the theme of this year’s World Food Day. Celebrated on 16^th October in over 150 countries, and was established by Food and Agriculture Organisation’s member countries in 1979. There are 690 million people who are affected by hunger. The ongoing COVID-19 crisis is estimated to put 132 million more people into the food insecurity bracket by the end of 2020. 

To meet the, food needs of the poor during COVID-19 crisis various NGOs have stepped up to feed the needy amid the COVID pandemic. To answer their questions like, “Where do I find food from?” The Akshaya Patra Foundation began its COVID-19 Food Relief Service. As a part of this service:

·         Cooked meals are served: Freshly cooked and hot meals are served to the needy people and marginalised sections of the society. Immunity-rich and healthy meals are served to individuals in need.

Story of Shaheen

14-year-old Shaheen lives in Vadodara and her father is the only bread-winner of the family. He lost his job after the lockdown; buying oil, gas and ration for their family was out of question. She received cooked meals from Akshaya Patra and was even able to take home food for her family.

 

·         Marginalised families are provided with Grocery Kits: Grocery Kits are provided to help families survive the pandemic.

 

Story of three sisters

Three sisters from Guwahati, Assam had lost their parents. Since the lockdown began, they did not have any money to buy any food or groceries. They were left helpless without any food to eat. Seeing their plight, The Akshaya Patra Foundation rescued them from their distress by providing grocery kits to them.

 

·         Mid-day meal beneficiaries received Happiness Kits: Happiness Kits are distributed to Government and Government-aided school children as a part of the Happiness Kits Programme. Each kit supports immunity, nutrition, hygiene and education of children.

 

Story of Jila

Jila has two daughters and a son who are mid-day meal beneficiaries. After the lockdown, his salary was cut by 50% and they were struggling to make their ends meet. After receiving the Happiness Kits, they are not worried about going hungry.

 

·         Anganwadi Kits are distributed to children and nursing mothers: Lactating mothers and their child received 2 kits as a part of this programme.

 

Anganwadi Kits provide the nourishment required by children and lactating mothers. It takes care of their immunity, nutritional requirements and hygiene.

 

Food is a basic necessity for everyone. On this World Food Day, provide meals to the needy. Help people across various segments with Akshaya Patra’s COVID-19 Food Relief Service.

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Daan Utsav 2020, NGOs in India and You

Giving back to the society has been encouraged time and again. People have joined hands with each other and with various NGOs to bring about a change in communities and the nation as a whole. To make bigger impacts, many individuals and several NGOs in India came together and decided to launch ‘India Giving Week’ in 2009. By 2013, this festival grew manifold and it was necessary to give it a name that was easily understood by everyone. Hence, in 2014, the Joy of Giving Week was renamed as Daan Utsav.

 

2020 is the 12^th year of Daan Utsav and it is celebrated all over India between 2^nd October and 8^th October. Through online donations and support from various corporate partners, organisations have been able to help the poor and marginalised sections of the society with clothes, education, healthcare, meals, etc. The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an NGO in India that works towards its core cause of providing mid-day meals to children in 12 States and 2 Union territories of India.

Apart from serving free school meals to children, the Foundation provides food aid to disaster-struck victims. Amidst the ongoing crisis of COVID-19, the Foundation is serving freshly cooked meals and distributing grocery kits to the poor and marginalised sections of the society. As of 8^th September, a cumulative of 8.2-crore meals have been served to daily-wage workers, labourers, needy people at old age homes and night shelters.

 

From the COVID-19 beneficiaries

 

14-year-old Shaheen avails hot and nutritious khichdi, prepared in a safe and hygienic manner by the Akshaya Patra Foundation. She says, “My father does not have a job after the lockdown was announced. It is very difficult for him to feed four of us at home. We do not have the money to buy oil, gas or dry groceries. These meals have eased all our worries, especially of my father.”

 

 

Anandi lives alone in Mumbai after losing her husband. During the pandemic, she was not able to work as a domestic help. With no savings and money lenders constantly pressurising her to pay back the loan amount, she found it difficult to handle the situation. She says, “My situation was worsening by the day. I had given up hope that things will get better. Just then, I received the grocery kit from Akshaya Patra. I am happy that I can save some money to pay back the loan amount.”

 

To continue its service towards children, Akshaya Patra has started serving Happiness Kits to its mid-day meal beneficiaries. Presently, the Happiness Kits Programme is being carried out in Bengaluru, Jigani, Hyderabad, Thane, Silvassa, Jaipur, Vadodara, Lucknow, Vrindavan and Guwahati. To support all its beneficiaries in other locations, the programme is being carried out in a phase-wise manner.

 

What the parents of mid-day meal beneficiaries say

 

Jila is a resident of Bengaluru whose salary was cut by 50% due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With three children, a son and two daughters to feed at home, he and his wife found it difficult to make ends meet. He says, “We were worried about running out of food. This Happiness Kit has truly made us happy. Now we don’t have to be scared that our children will go hungry and they also get stationery and books to learn, which they missed.”

 

This Daan Utsav 2020, provide support to the needy people in the form of cooked meals, grocery kits and happiness kits. Help the people from low-income sections of the society cope with the pandemic.

Ensure well-being of those in need. This Daan Utsav, support Akshaya Patra’s food relief efforts.