Donating grains, far and wide

The

Mahavir Food Bank

was launched in the year 2000 as an initiative to alleviate hunger among the homeless and deprived across the district of Pune. It started out donating grains and groceries to about 20 to 25 organisations catering to orphans, widows, the homeless and the poor.


But over the years, this number of partner organisations grew. “Today, we cater to around 170 social organisations across

Pimpri

Chinchwad, Pune district and Pune city. Since our start in 2000, we have been able to donate 5,00,000 kg of foodgrains including rice, wheat, jowar, bajra etc., ” Vijay Kumar Marlecha, the head of food bank’s city unit, said.

The initiative was started by Marlecha along with a few likeminded individuals, who were inspired by the Ek Mutthi Anaaj Yojana popularised by social activist and educator

Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil

.

“Bhaurao used to visit homes in Satara with a bowl asking residents to donate a fistful of foodgrain. That inspired us to start the food bank,” said Marlecha. Today, the organisation too visits homes with a container, requesting residents to donate grain.

Mahavir Food Bank, which has its office in Bibvewadi, used to receive grains and groceries from 200 people on a regular basis. “But storing such huge quantities of grains was a problem. Also, some of them used to be pilfered. So we started doorto-door collection,” he said.

On Mahavir Jayanti every year, those associated with the food bank organise a rally to collect donations in cash, food grains and other grocery items. “With the money collected, we purchase grains and grocery items and distribute them. We also visit orphanages and destitute homes, which rely entirely on government funds ” he said.

This year, th tion collected lakh and 1,000 groceries on havir Jayant which was cele brated on March 24.

“We don’t collect vegeta bles since the are perishable Rice, dal, jow wheat, bajra grocery items tea, sugar and are also collected. Once we have a sizeable quantity, we distribute them to NGOs and ashramshalas,” Marlecha said.

The food bank has also teamed with The Robin Hood Army and the city-based Jai Anand Group, which helps farmers sell their produce.

“This month, we are planning to a donate a relief kit comprising 5kg wheat, 5kg bajra, 5kg rice and tea powder to 100 Dalit families in the Kasurdi village near Bhor. Both the organisations will be a part of this initiative,” he said.

Two years ago, during the drought in Maharashtra, the organisation donated groceries to

Naam Foundation

, an NGO, which works to provide relief to farmers in the barren, droughtprone areas of

Marathwada

and Vidarbha.

The foundation ran an anna chatra (a community kitchen) in Pimpri with the foodgrain. Every day around 500 people t there,

Maraid

.

t is the gratde we see in e eyes of hose who do not get even one square meal a day hat keeps us oing.

“Recently, visited the nment-run or the mute -impaired at Yerawada. We carried packets of chocolates and biscuits with us. The sense of joy among the students was unbelievable. If only all of us could come forward to help,” Marlecha said.

The food bank now wants to set up a medicine bank, using donations.

“We plan to collect unused medicines and donate them to the poor,” he said.

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