The way to a person’s heart is through their stomach they say. Good food, like good fuel, keeps us going especially in such tough times. No wonder, food delivery during the pandemic has increased multiple times! Not only home-cooked food delivery Delhi but also most dine-in restaurants have started supplying food to doorsteps of their patrons. This post is another pandemic positive food story, a little more timely perhaps. It is about food delivery for COVID patients, Delhi. It is common knowledge that a protein-rich diet is a key to faster recovery from the corona. But many corona-patients are too unwell to prepare their meals. Fret not; there are some options for food delivery for home quarantined patients.

Various organisations such as Akshay Patra, Art of Living Foundation and ISKCON are providing COVID meals for patients and you can reach out to them as well for assistance.

Manish Kakkar, a COVID patient from Vasant Kunj who availed free Covid Meal, shares:

“Satvic, home-cooked, nutritious, easy on the belly like mom-cooked meals. Feel such entities who are helping people suffering from Covid with free meals, they are doing Sewa (service). Their story needs to be shared with the world. I am blessed to get help in these times.”

Chef Saransh Goila has started a similar project. You can visit the website covidmealsforindia.com if you want to be part of this initiative or avail of meals through them. The website has valuable resources for COVID patients in need of food support as well as people who want to contribute to the project.

In addition, below we have listed four good Samaritans who are selflessly sending homemade food for corona patients in Delhi, free of cost. To the extent possible, we have kept their wordings intact so that you can have a firsthand idea as to how heartfelt their efforts are.

Moushumi Moitra used Instagram to reach out to patients

“A cup of kindness is all that we need!” – says Homechef Moushumi at Bong Appétit

The second wave has caused such pain and grief. One day while sitting alone and thinking about all this, where everyone in the family was infected and the world crashed for them, many had nowhere to go for food, for support, for a little kindness. It pained me and I thought about how I can contribute something that can ease their life a bit.

Since I love cooking, I thought of sending COVID meals to patients in my known circle. My daughter Ipshita encouraged me and used her Instagram to spread the word. As I started delivering free meals to patients in my known circle from 10 April, more requests started pouring in from all corners, known and unknown.

I try and accommodate all taste palate…

Pictures curtesy and copyright: Moushumi Moitra / Bong Appétit

As I understand during these times one should have protein diets, I try to provide at least 1 non-vegetarian item in one of the meals. I deliver in and around Vasant Kunj but also to Vasant Vihar, Munirka, R.K.Puram and I try and accommodate everyone with all their needs. My meals are sent twice, lunch and dinner. Usually, I send daal, rice, roti, 1 sabzi and one non-vegetarian item, chicken, egg or fish. It is fish mainly because I have some senior citizen Bengali patients, who may need that source of protein. For my non-Bengali people, I prepare paneer or soybean or eggs. All my COVID meals are free of cost.

The only challenge that I am experiencing now is deliveries outside our locality. There are police posts and heavy penalties. I tried all possible ways to get an e-pass for my COVID food deliveries and each time it was rejected! I wish if I had that I could have reached out to many more people.

I cannot skip the contribution of my trusted lieutenant, Shankar for all his help in assisting me, packing, markings and driving them to each one of them in a safe, hygienic and contactless manner. I must have delivered a total of almost 750 ++ meals although I don’t keep a count of that. I personally feel each one of us should come forward and do our bit with all humility and love. One cup of kindness and let’s fill that cup.

Here are some snippets of the adulations Moushumi Moitra has received for her efforts:

Moushumi Moitra can be reached at her Instagram channel: @MoushumiMoitra

Shubham Chawla was moved by the pain and trauma around him

Lending a helping hand

“Koi bhookha nahi rehna chaahiye” (“No one should be left with an empty stomach”)
– Veenu Chawla

I have grown up with the above-mentioned thought, thanks to my mother Veenu Chawla. Even before the pandemic pushed us within our homes, making sure I contributed to feeding families who couldn’t afford it had been a fulfilling ritual in my life. We went through pain and trauma this disease brought like many other families around the world, but it wasn’t until two of my own family members were struggling to get beds in the hospital, that the reality and gravity of the horrors of coronavirus got introduced to me.

Pictures courtesy and copyright: Shubham Chawla / Mom’s Kitchen

We were disheartened, not just because my loved ones were fighting this deadly virus but because of what we saw all around us. There was too much suffering, pain and helplessness and not enough people who could offer their help. At that moment I also realised how grateful and fortunate I was to have the resources that I did. It gave me the power to do something, to help those in need. In this journey, my mother and brother Anuj Chugh were standing strong with me.

We noticed that various families suffering from COVID were unable to have food on their table. We decided to change that and began delivering vegetarian meals that included dal, sabzi, roti, and salad to the aforementioned families. All we expected in return were good wishes and blessings because our own family members who were fighting this battle against the virus needed those.

Starting from 5 meals, we went on to provide meals for 2,000+ people living in and around Delhi (primarily in South and West Delhi going to areas like East Delhi and even Noida). My mother would wake up at 6 in the morning to prepare everything with love and care. We also began helping people with their groceries, medicines, and other items that they may have required from shops. We recently provided ration for 100 families in slums, and we wish to continue doing the same until situations reach normalcy again.

Although it is hard for me to manage it while I work to earn my own living, it is a deed that is worth it all. My late father’s ideas and lessons that my mother continues to teach me give me all the strength I need to continue helping those who need it.

I am thankful to people like Megha Kapoor, Saloni Bajaj, Jyoti Khanijow, Shrishti Sharma, Abha Arora and Ekta Chopra who have joined this movement and volunteered their help. A special thanks to Parul Shukla from California for supporting the cause.

Although it is imperative we stay physically distant, let’s not forget that we are in this together, and as long as we are there for one another, we will get through this!

Here are some snippets of the adulations they have received for their efforts:

Shubham and his team can be reached at their Instagram channel: @iamshubhamchawla and @mom_kitchendelhi_

Home chef Snehalata Saikia added a personal touch to her Covid meals

“Yes I will help at my limits” – says Sneha

Sneha cooks with love. We are already a fan of Sneha’s culinary skills. This time, Sneha has touched our hearts in a different manner.

 

Pictures courtesy and copyright: Sneha Saikia

Sneha lives in Chittaranjan Park, South Delhi. She has been sending protein-rich meals for Corona patients in C.R. Park and adjoining areas. Sneha is a one-woman army and arranges groceries as well as cooks on her own. She, therefore, is unable to churn out bulk and helps out with COVID meals on request. Sneha has provided most of her COVID meals for free.

Sneha’s COVID meals may be accompanied by a hand-painted get-well-soon card. Sometimes she sends food to neighbours just to cheer them up, maybe a bowl of chicken stew or fish curry. Knowing this, we almost regret not living in Sneha’s neighbourhood. 🙂

All said and done – attagirl Sneha for touching lives! You have nothing but our utmost respect. Keep up the good work.

Here is a snippet of the adulation Sneha Saikia has received for her efforts:

Sneha Saikia can be reached at her Instagram channel: @Sneha_Lata_Saikia

Dealing with personal loss, Tulika decided to serve

“I lost my fiancé a month back to Covid. I had seen him helpless trying to deal with this virus after testing Covid positive. Though me and his family were there to help him with food and medicine at that time, I realized what those people, especially the elderly people living alone in the city must be going through and how difficult it must be for them to manage everything on their own. I decided to do my bit to help the people in whatever way I can. And, that’s how I got this idea of providing free meals to the needy,” …..Tulika Devi

Pictures curtesy and copyright: Tulika Devi

Two of my close friends Nafisa Akhtar and Priya Tamuli have also been doing their bit silently. Over a casual discussion about the current scenario, and how we could help the people together, got us started with our initiative named Proyax. Inspite of their hectic schedule they volunteered to come forward and join me for this Nobel cause.

Proyax is our collective and humble effort to reach out to people who are in need. We decided to give preference to the elderly people who urgently need assistance in getting medication and food. We are also providing sanitary pads to the women who are living alone in isolation after testing Covid Positive.

We are overwhelmed by the response received on social media. We never realized the number of people who require help until we actually spoke to them and understood their current situation. Ever since we have posted on Facebook, our phones haven’t stopped ringing.

Here are some snippets of the adulations they have received for their efforts:

More than 20 home-cooked meals are being delivered daily. Apart from that, medicines and sanitary pads for women are being delivered at their doorsteps regularly.

We haven’t taken any help from external sources so far. Whatever we are doing is our small endeavour to help others who are in need. If our efforts can bring smile on the faces of the people in distress, we have undoubtedly succeeded in our mission. We are currently delivering food and other essentials only in Guwahati city. Since there is a partial lockdown, it is practically not possible to reach out to people outside the city. We do want to contribute back to society in a bigger way in the future.
We believe that there is nothing more beautiful than kindness in the world.

WHO ARE WE!
Tulika Devi: A Casual Duty Officer, All India Radio, Guwahati, Assam.
Nafisa Akhtar: A Life Coach, Reiki Master Teacher and Psychotherapist.
Priya Tamuli: A Professional Baker and has her boutique bakery named Meraki.

Special thanks to Parnashree Devi for sharing this story with us.

The above angels are showing us the way. With whatever resources they have, they are reaching out to others. We stand humbled and inspired.

We are going to update this article with any further resource as well as feedback we come across. Do keep visiting this page and be safe.

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