Just a call away from receiving free food on the doorsteps for all 14 days of quarantine for COVID positive patients. Amid the sea of suffering which the people face after being tested positive for COVID, a city-based humanitarian team in aiding the people started off a special initiative to feed COVID positive patients (especially in-house quarantine) and the frontline workers with one meal for free of cost. Within the first day of implementation, the initiative received a huge response from the people, nearly 120 food packets were distributed on the first day.
Meet the team of youngsters, who took on a special mission of serving healthy lunch and nutritious snacks for the patients who are in quarantine and also for frontline workers for free of cost. Started on Monday, the special initiative titled "COVID Care at Tiruchy" bagged massive responses as people who are tested positive at large reached out seeking service. The team on their first day served 100 food packets in MGMGH for COVID patients and front-line workers. Speaking to TNIE, Sam Ellis, founder of Kalanjiyam Food Bank, Tiruchy,
"Our NGO's main motto is to feed the hunger. During the earlier lockdown in 2020, many people were struggling to make ample money to fill their stomachs. In aiding them we started the initiative to serve at least one meal a day daily, under the initiative we served nearly 800 people especially the destitute persons across Tiruchy city for half of the year." He added "At present, with the COVID cases are rapidly increasing across the nation. Amid such a situation, many people who are tested positive especially those who are living alone are facing hardship in preparing food daily. Thus, we came up with the idea of partnering with the Upperoom cafe have started an initiative of serving lunch for such COVID patients in need of help for free. We are also serving free food for frontline workers in GH."
He added that being a first of its kind initiative in Tiruchy at present on alternative days the team is distributing 100 packets of lunch and 500 packs of snacks (chickpeas) and 35 patients who are in-house quarantine. the numbers are expected to increase in the upcoming days. Further speaking about the initiative, Susan Sushma, proprietor of Upperoom Cafe, Tiruchy, said, "We have circulated our contact numbers and about the initiative in all social media platforms. Once we get calls from COVID patients and frontline workers who are in need of our service, we would get their residential address. From that day we will serve lunch during their complete house quarantine duration of 14 days completely free. We serve only vegetarian meals. As per the dietitian's advice, they are preparing seven different meals each day accompanied by different kinds of vegetable siders. all the food is being prepared by a professional Chef."
She added that once the meal is prepared our volunteers will deliver the food to the patient's house doorstep (no contact delivery) will call and inform them and in GH the packets will be given to the frontline workers at a safe checkpoint which would be distributed to the needed patients and also to frontline workers. The volunteers who take the food will be wearing proper safety gear. She added that COVID patients in house quarantine or in GH can approach the team through the contact numbers 97860 00427; 9786000274; 80564 50777 for availing their service.
Speaking about the food preparation, Jerald, the Chef who prepares all the dishes, said, "We have a different variety of rice menu for each day of the week it will be accompanied with a vegetable sider. On intimation, we would handpick vegetables daily from the local market and would start preparation with proper quality hygiene wise and also taste-wise."
