Food heroes

Some people complain about problems, while others spend their energy trying to solve them. We present heroes who have taken it upon themselves to bring food to those with limited means:

1. The 1 rupee meal man: Mr Venkatraman of Shree AMV homes proves that you don’t have to be a billionaire to be a philanthropist. He was moved to start a 1-rupee meal scheme when a woman refused to spend her entire wealth of Rs10 on the food he served as she found she could not afford it. Since then he offers wholesome and healthy meals at a cost of 1 rupee each to those in need. His beneficiaries are mostly caregivers of patients admitted to a nearby government hospital. Medical and travel expenses alone leave the poor with no money in hand, and he realised that many of them were sleeping on the roadside or going hungry. Thanks to him, people in dire straits can count on one square meal in the day.
2. The Robin Hood Army: Their motto is to take food from those with plenty and give it to those who have none. Not by force though! These kind-hearted Robin Hoods take leftover cooked food from restaurant kitchens and deliver it to the hungry and the poor. Started in Mumbai, this youth-led initiative has now been taken up by others in Delhi, Pune, Jaipur and Pakistan too. Now that’s a delivery service with a difference!
3. Janta Meals: An F&B company that serves the poor? Yes, it could happen! Janta Meals supplies wholesome and healthy food to the urban and working poor who don’t have the time, money or space to prepare their own food. Their solution lies in providing cheap and hygienic meals at a reasonable price of Rs20 to Rs30. For blue collar workers who spend more than 10 hours a day away from home, Janta Meals is just what the doctor ordered. What’s more, their kitchens supply food to construction sites, government and NGO-run schools, and other offices.