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Failure now, is a failure of civil society
Crossing 30 Lakh free meals served in the last 30 days since lockdown should count for something. Yet there is a sense of foreboding that as a society we are not reaching deep within ourselves to help the truly down and out. These are extraordinary times. No one living has seen such devastating effects that a pandemic can do to individuals, communities, societies, nations and humanity itself.
When the day before the lockdown the flurry of anxiety to make sure near and dear were back in homes contrasted with the millions out on their luck, stranded in strange places merely because they had travelled far in search of succour. I am sure each of us is torn by the imagery of these out of sorts risking life and limb to somehow get back to a place where they were a human that had someone to look after them. Yet millions more are stuck in nowhere land: a report from Thane, in Maharashtra is one such story, where on their way to UP, migrant workers who decided to walk 1,500 kilometres to reach home, were trapped in 1,600-feet deep valley while hiding from cops (they were eventually rescued heroically by the local cops).
While what we have done at Atria Foundation is a drop in the ocean, it requires much more of each one of us. Those in the first flush of humanity reached out quickly but today there is a flagging of energy. Our data based on our call centre number suggests, those in need of a helping hand are growing by the day. What little reserves many had is long gone and they too are desperately seeking help. It is estimated that Bangalore needs 600,000 meals a day to keep hunger off those that are down and out and have a basic meal to keep the body together. But the outreach to ensure this is addressed is flailing. We need to find that reserve in society if we are to address this. Failure now, is a failure of civil society.
In order that we together rise to the occasion the Atria Foundation is reaching out to every individual member of Bangalore’s society. We have built an App that will enable those who want to do their bit to be part of a movement.
We want families that are willing to cook and give a simple single dish meal for at least 50 to go to the Atria Foundation app and register themselves as kitchens associates on the atriafoundation.org app. Atria will help provide the ability to collect the same and deliver it to the needy.
Volunteers who are willing to collect meals from kitchens are called on to register themselves in atriafoundation.org app as last Mile associate volunteers.
Atria Foundation will act as the link to collect the food packets and get it delivered to the needy while following our SoPs.
The needy don’t need our sympathy. Just a helping hand till they can stand on their own feet.
Come on Bangalore, let’s cook up those 600,000 meals daily that are required to keep them going with a helping hand and ensure no one in Bangalore stays unfed. I am promising myself to do 200,000 meals a day by the Atria Foundation as we continue our free meals program. I am hopeful and confident that fellow Benglureans will fill the gap - by adding as little as 50 meals by each one till we bring a smile on those unfortunate ones stranded for no fault of theirs.  Let us rise up Bangalore. As a fellow Bengaluruean I am counting on you!!
