Wishes and Blessings Serving Meals During Lockdown
To help the underprivileged survive the nation-wide 21 days lockdown, Wishes and Blessings, a Delhi-based NGO, has launched a project to feed the homeless and daily wage labourers affected by lockdown.
While some have access to safe shelter and resources to purchase supplies to see the lockdown through, there is a large section of society that has no means to fulfil even the most basic of needs. These are the daily wage labourers and homeless people of the country. While there are many efforts to fundraise and collect supplies, due to the various restrictions in place it has been difficult for the aid to reach those who need it the most.
Wishes and Blessings is determined to reach out to all those who have been affected by the lockdown, and aims to share the load with the government and other organizations working on the field. The organization has converted day care centres into shelter homes to ensure that the homeless have a safe space to stay till the lockdown is lifted. Hygiene supplies have been procured as well to safeguard the health of all.
Networks have also been established with vendors in the areas of dire need, and rations are being procured from them. Certified vans with curfew passes transport the supplies to shelter homes, where teams and volunteers cook and serve the food to all the beneficiaries. There are checks to ensure that the food is cooked under strict hygiene conditions. Currently, Wishes and Blessings is serving 2 meals a day to beneficiaries across Delhi, in areas including Yamuna Pushta, Sarai Kale Khan, Munirka, Delhi Gate, Nizamuddin, Modi Mills, Coolie Camp, Maidan Garhi and Motiya Khan. Wishes and Blessings, is working in tandem with two other organizations - SPYM and Santosh – which has made this initiative possible.
Dr. Geetanjali Chopra, founder and spokesperson for Wishes and Blessings, said, "We appreciate the hard work being carried out by Mr. Arvind Kejriwal and the Delhi government. It is no mean task to feed the lakhs of these people who have nothing to call their own. We aim to share the load with the government and other organizations working on the field. In this emergency situation, we have teams and volunteers in place to help those who are unable to avail the aid being provided by the government".