A Chennai Girl Opens Up A Food Bank

• Ayyamittu Unn

AdvertisingConcerned by those going hungry on the streets of Chennai, a doctor is doing her bit to try and ensure they find food in a dignified way. Dr Issa Fathima Jasmine recently installed a community fridge outside the Besant Nagar Tennis Club, and it has been helping hundreds of people. Explaining why she started the project, Dr Jasmine told, “We all have some amount of food left over every day at our homes that get wasted. Initially, I used to give it to a lady sitting outside our home. I soon realised there must be others like her who would be benefited by the food.”“I often wanted to donate to others but shied away from asking, thinking it might embarrass them. Many might be needy, but they would not require food,” the orthodontist added over the telephone.

So, to provide a simple and dignified solution where people can come and take food without out being judged or questioned, she started “the fridge”, funding it from her own pocket. Under the banner of The Public Foundation, Dr Jasmine called the community fridge, ‘Ayyamittu Unn’. In case, you are wondering what it means, it is a one-line poem from the collection Āathichoodi, written by Avvaiyar in Tamil. In English, it translates to “share the food with the needy before you eat”.

A beautiful and apt title indeed. People have been donating not just food but also clothes, book and toys.

From curd rice to water bottles and fruits, the fridge is stocked by people regualrly. (Source: The Public Foundation)People are asked to label their food before donating and there is a logbook that keeps a track of every item put in the fridge — from fruits to cooked items. People are also required to write the preparation and expiry date of the items they are donating. The fridge is open to all every day from 7am to 9pm. Initially, the doctor thought it would be better to leave it unmanned as many might feel shy but later for security reasons and to ensure the logbook is maintained she has also recruited a security guard. AdvertisingAlongside the refrigerator, one would also find a shelf, where people can donate anything from books to clothes, but they all should be in usable condition. “I have always donated clothes and often I would come across friends and family complaining about old clothes.

There are a lot of food drives during the holidays. What, but when the Scouts come knocking at your door collecting food or you're asked to bring a non-perishable item as entrance to the school’s holiday concert, food is in order.did a piece on the types of pantry staples that can help those who rely on food banks to build healthy meals.

Ayyamittu Unn

Food banks say the focus should be on “on whole, unprocessed or minimally processed foods” to help people create healthy meals. Instead of donating foods that are high in salt, sugar and highly processed grains, bring foods that are high in protein, healthy fats and whole grains instead.