Quepem police station doubles up as food bank

Panaji: The Sangolda-based food bank, which recently expanded its work of rescuing homeless persons with disabilities to Quepem, has added yet another facility to its services.
A fridge has been installed at the Quepem police station where people can deposit extra cooked food, which will then be distributed to those in need there. “People from this area and surrounding areas often wish to give food at night, but our shelter home closes by 9pm.Police stations are open 24 hours and that’s a big advantage,” said one of the volunteers.
The fridge has been donated by a benefactor.
“With food inflation rising and commercial gas cylinders now costing Rs 2,150, food bank fridges are our only solution to feeding more homeless people,” a volunteer from Curchorem, Akash Pednekar, said.
Extra food packed in plastic bags or silver foil bags can be deposited in the fridge at night and in the morning it will be taken to shelter homes by the volunteers. During the day, when the fridge is empty, it will be used by the staff of the police station to store water bottles. The fridge will be cleaned and maintained by the volunteers.
Once this concept catches on at Quepem police station, the organisation will look at installing fridges at police stations in areas where its shelter homes are located by approaching the inspectors concerned. “The day police inspectors understand that a small fridge is worth installing in their stations, we will be back on track of saving good food from being thrown out and using it to feed hundreds if not thousands,” one volunteer said.