Hyderabad's Good Samaritans help Covid patients with free home-made food
Hyderabad: Since the pandemic wreaked havoc in the lives of the people, Good Samaritans in Hyderabad are trying to provide help in form of food, medicines, resources, etc. to Covid-positive patients and their families. Many people have started providing free home-cooked food and are delivering them to the patients or families suffering from Covid. We at Deccan Chronicle caught up with three of such groups.
Aashri Society
Aashri society, an orphanage, started providing free home-cooked food for patients suffering from Covid in Hyderabad. The organization started this initiative after Prapurna and her husband Ramakishore Reddy felt people needed help.
Prapurna, speaking about the initiative, said, “We saw one of our friends’ family suffering from Covid and facing problems because of food. Their entire family was down with Covid. They called me up saying we all are affected and no one is helping us.”
“Till now we have served 259 Covid-affected families. We are providing breakfast and lunch to three hospitals – Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Basava Tarakam Indo American Cancer Hospital, and Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences, Gachibowli,” she said. “We are taking help of Rapido drivers to deliver food,” said Ramakishore. “We hired a Swiggy drier, who willingly came forward to work with us. We also have hired a person who runs an auto to deliver food.”
Aashri Society's Prapurna Reddy and her husband Ramakishore Reddy with the home-cooked food packages. (Photo: Facebook/Aashri Society)
“Unfortunately, we lost three volunteers who were working with us,” he added.
“Right now, are delivering to people in Gandimaisamma, Miyapur, Bachupally, Pragathi Nagar, Nizampet, Kukatpally, and KPHB,” Ramakishore said.
“We also have a pick-up option. If someone wants to collect their food from us, they can come to our house and pick it up if they are not Covid positive,” he added.
Soumya Chaturvedi and Abhishek Pandey
Hyderabad-based Soumya Chaturvedi started cooking home-made food for Covid patients when she heard of people close to her suffering and passing away because of no proper food.
Soumya said, “My mother tested positive. She had to manage everything on her own even when she was unwell. On hearing her plight, I spoke to my husband and told him that we must do something.”
Soumya Chaturvedi with the home-cooked food packages. (Image sourced)
“That’s when we thought we could at least ease people's pain by providing meals so they don’t have to worry about food,” she added.
Speaking more about the initiative, Soumya’s husband Abhishek Pandey said, “There are some elderly people staying alone who don’t know how to order online, or some who don’t have means to do so. We even know of some people who were positive but went out to buy food. So, to reduce all these problems, we started this initiative.”
Speaking about their delivering options, Abhishek, who is a cycling enthusiast and part of several such interest groups, said, “Some riders in the city have made a group called Relief Riders, of which I am a part. I asked them to deliver home-made food in their respective areas.
“But we could not deliver to far places or outskirts because that becomes a problem for the rider. So, we took help from Relief Kitchens,” he added.
On Relief Kitchens, Soumya said, “We look at delivery locations and whichever kitchen is close-by, we deliver food to patients there. Although we have people, we are looking for more people who are willing to deliver or cook to join us in this cause,” she added.
“We have delivered food in Balanagar, Bowenpally, Kukatpally, Nizampet, and upto Chandanagar, while our kitchen partners are serving in areas where we are unable to deliver,” Soumya added.
“We make and deliver food to Covid patients, elderly people, quarantined people or families, and people staying alone,” she said, adding that they have, in the last 20 days since initiative started, delivered at least 400 meals.
Alishetty Aravind and Vedam Foundation
Alishetty Aravind started helping Covid patients with free food after he witnessed many people around him suffering for food because of the infection. “I saw many posts on social media where people were suffering because they could not get proper food as they were down with Covid. I wanted to help these people, so I started this initiative,” Aravind said.
Alishetty Aravind's team ready to deliver food packages. (Image sourced)
A week ago, Aravind and his group of 10 volunteers provided customized food to patients. The group takes orders a day prior and customizes orders as per patient’s choice (vegetarian or non-vegetarian food).
“We are currently delivering in Madhapur, Jubilee Hills, Srinagar Colony, Yousufguda, and Kukatpally. We are constantly in touch with Swiggy and Dunzo to take their help,” Aravind said.
