An initiative of a Mira Road resident turns into a community kitchen for those waiting at a nearby hospital, auto and taxi drivers, security guards and the destitute
Mitesh Gupta cooking at the society where he lives
A Residential housing society in Mira Road — Akashdeep Co-op Housing Society — has turned out to be a saviour for many amidst the pandemic. Through an initiative of 26-year-old Mitesh Gupta, members of the society set up a community kitchen, which has been feeding more than 400 people on a daily basis. They distribute food packets among relatives of patients waiting at the nearby Indira Gandhi Municipal Hospital, security guards, auto and taxi drivers and even the destitute.
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Gupta had initiated the process along with a friend by cooking for atleast 70 people each day at his home, but he wanted to do more. “I did not have big utensils to cook for more people. I then took permission from my society and more people joined me for the cause,” he said.
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“When I started cooking and distributing food outside the hospital, people came to me in large numbers, but I was not able to serve everyone. I also provide food to auto drivers who are not getting the same despite having money, as hotels and restaurants are shut and they are not familiar with ordering food through apps. The situation is the same for security guards and those living on roads. I am thankful to my society as they not only allowed me to cook at the premises but also came in support of the cause,” Gupta said.
He further said that he lost his job last year due to the pandemic and this year he set up a shop where he sold snacks, but that too came to a halt in March after the second wave hit the state. Over the last 20 days, he along with the society members and friends served food to more than 8,000 people.
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“I love cooking and as I currently have no work, I thought of utilising my abilities for a cause. We have also maintained the quality of food and kept changing the menu
everyday,” he added.
8K
No. of people the society has fed over the last 20 days
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