Based on the present climate, we as Members of the Board of the Rudy A Menon Foundation discussed what we could do to support the crisis we are faced with. We came up with a brilliant idea, each of us as board members would do something in support of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country we are in, or anywhere in the world.
This is what we did:
Somnath and Vidhu, on May 11th had decided they would serve food to some people from the subcontinent. They had wanted to order the food for them but then a full curfew was announced in Kuwait starting the same day and ordering was not a possibility. Since they had committed to doing this on behalf of the Foundation, Vidhu decided to cook for them herself. She says it was a very satisfying experience as she put love into the food that they served them.
On the 4th of June, on behalf of the Foundation, they have committed to offering food to 200 people affected by the COVID-19 crisis. The migrant workers they will feed, have lost their jobs and are unable to return home to their villages due to the lockdown in India. Providing them hot meals will give them something to look forward to that day.
Rosie and Arjun, on Thursday, May 14th, provided 50 meals for NHS frontline workers at Northwick Park Hospital in the name of the Foundation. They were both really happy to be able to do something to provide support, in the name of the Foundation.
Henrica and Henrik, in the name of the Rudy A Menon Foundation supported a charity called Wiener Tafel which means The Vienna Table, it is a charity that distributes food for those in need. They collect food from personal donations, supermarkets and markets in Vienna
Harit and Reena have participated in supporting people in need in both New York and India.
Naresh and Asha, on Saturday, May 16th, provided 50 meals to NHS hospital workers at Charing Cross Hospital in the name of the Foundation. They have also been donating the same here on other days as well as to Northwick Park Hospital.
Ashok and Subita are donating food and drinks once a week to Whitehall Mission who serve breakfast to approx. 300 people each morning and provide these same people with a care package / food parcel which they can use or share during the rest of the day.
Atul and Nandini are making fabric masks that they want to give free to the people in Delhi whose health and wellbeing is jeopardised as they are unable to afford them for themselves and their families during this crisis. Nandini has made 522 till now and will be donating them in the name of the Rudy A Menon Foundation. She refers to is as “a labour of love”.
Here are pictures of the masks:
Neera and Surinder made a donation on May 14th, on behalf of the Rudy A Menon foundation to THE REAL JUNK FOOD PROJECT (TRJFP). TRJFP has set up as London’s Community Kitchen to serve the C0VID-19 crisis in Harrow. The food comes from supermarkets and personal donations. The donation they made will help to feed a family for 4 weeks during this difficult time. Please see pictures below.
Minal and Ashok, in the name of our precious foundation have provided meals to 2000 people through MCKS Food for the Hungry which is an NGO based in Delhi. Their team is working with government authorities and the police during the pandemic. Daily, they identify localities where people don't have food and are hungry. The authorities have also been key in helping them distribute the food and in ensuring that the community practices social distancing.
They have also given to the Kanara Saraswat Association, an NGO committed to better the quality of life in general and Chitrapur Saraswats in particular. During this pandemic a number of these people have lost jobs , businesses etc and so the community as a whole is helping Saraswats across the country to tide over these hard times and also to try and help them pave a way forward.
In addition, on 21st May they provided meals to 150 Filipino workers based in Deira, Dubai
and provided meals to 150 Indian / Pakistani laborers based in a labour camp in Dubai Investment Park.
For both the above they have identified these groups who have been impacted tremendously by the pandemic as they have either lost jobs or are working on reduced salaries and have no way to return to their home countries till flights open up full-fledged.