Low Cost Nutritious Food at Shelters

Food for Homeless

Helping Age Foundation is committed to helping the helpless, homeless, sick, elderly, mentally ill and destitute in Madurai, India by providing healthy food, care, and opportunity to rehabilitate in order to restore human dignity.

Securing affordable and healthy meal is a everyday struggle for most of the homeless. Until last year, the large sections of homeless had to depend on either poor quality at road side food shops or high fat junk food distributed by the religious philanthropic people. Some homeless cook their own food. Government of Delhi and some corporate donors run a food distribution network, with the name 'Apni Rasoi'. Under this programme, free food is distributed at 3 pm from selected points. Unfortunately this system has been shrinking because of lack of donations or other reasons.

The HAF NGO has developed a self-sustainable model of 'Janahaar'. Government of NCT Delhi is implementing this programme through Department of Women and Child Development and the NGOs who supply food under the Mid Day Meal programmes to the schools.

Jan Ahaar offers low cost, good quality food in a dignified manner. Currently there are nearly 41 Jan Ahaar centers running in the areas of high concentration of homeless and laborer population.

Low Cost Nutritious Food at Shelters:

This year, in partnership with NGO, Stri Shakti, we have started a khichri (Nutritional Mixture of grains, pulses and vegetables) with a per serving cost of Rs. 5/-. This system is found to be successful at some shelters. The scheme is being refined further.

Free Food Distribution by NGOs :

Centre for Equity Studies is organizing free food distribution from the shelters run by them at AIIMS Shelter, Jama Masjid and Yamuna Pushta. Over 600 persons have food in a dignified manner everyday.