Let's end hunger and wastage- Giving of any kind can go a long way

No one should go hungry.

Starting in a small way to provide one wholesome meal at the end of the day - sustenance to children and starving people, an invisible population of homeless,  elderly, the sick, the infirm and the mentally ill - to move forward through advocacy to reach as many as possible in and around Chennai.

We reach dinner to those in need so no one sleeps hungry -to children, homeless, elderly, sick and infirm.

The Chennai Roti Bank started in September 2021, inspired by the work of Mr. Sivanandan, Former Police Commissioner of Mumbai. He started the Mumbai Roti Bank in 2016 - and Ms. Letika Saran, another Great in the Police fraternity brought this concept to the city of Chennai.
Learning from the Mumbai experience, The Chennai Roti Bank is today an establised Trust, our mission to try to reach the many hungry in the city.
 
For a start, the Trustees went into the alleys of Chennai at dusk to see the number of people who came and settled on the pavements – and made it their home for the night under the sky. They live on the edge literally, as law catches up with them and they can be shunted away.

We decided that we should do what we can, wherever we can without questioning. For a start we decided a meal at dinner time as pavement dwellers come to rest – the objective being they do not sleep on an empty stomach.
 
We were also extremely moved by the pitiful condition of mentally ill people in the outpatient block of Institute of Mental Health at Iyanavaram. Here it is the attendees who are there along with their loved ones who are undergoing treatment. They come from different places and often are daily wage earners who forego their meals while they take care of the patient.
 
Soon, on a request, CHENNAI ROTI Bank started distribution of dinner to children in PBGC or the Police Boys and Girls Clubs organized across the city in various localities to harness the energies of children, so that their time is well spent in constructive activity. They go home after the meal and since the Chennai Roti Bank meal started we have realized the numbers have considerably increased.

As on date CHENNAI Roti Bank distributes around 600 packs of food to different locations every day.  There is a whole team at work who is preparing, packing, loading, reaching and distributing the meals to children and people. 

The cost of each pack with the spiraling expenses works out to Rs.23/- a pack - in turn around Rs.13,800 a day. 

We have been working at doing our best to eradicate hunger and alongside create consciousness about waste.

When rains inundated the city of Chennai last year, CHENNAI Roti Bank was ready to reach a number of people. Our Samaritans went to deliver the food packs. They were volunteers risking their lives in the rain. 

Meet the team of people making it happen.

Our leaders set our global direction, goals and strategies, and support nearly 500 team members working in more than 20 countries around the world.

Mr. M.Mahadevan had humble beginnings in the Food and Beverage Scene in India starting his journey with a Rs. 60,000 investment in a Chinese Takeaway Concept. Today, he has ties to over 150 + outlets globally and brings the finest flavours of the world to our esteemed customers. Brands include Benjarong, EnteKeralam, China Town, Writer’s Cafe, The Marina, Hot Breads and more. Today, Mr Mahadevan's focus remains in giving back to society through his trust, Chennai Mission. It aims at alleviation of the less fortunate, by rehabilitation and upskilling of the underprivileged, mentally disabled and domestically abused through his numerous ventures such as The Freedom Bakery in Puzhal Prison, Winners Bakery, Writers Cafe and the recent Rvive Cafe along with the Institute of Mental Health.

Mrs. Sujatha Viswanath has been a Volunteer at Sankara Nethralaya for over 2 decades. She has with the help of the renowned Institution conducted eye camps at remote villages, taking the services of the hospital to the doorstep of the needy. She has also been associated with differentially abled children and has helped them with periodic eye check ups and free treatment and surgeries at Sankara Nethralaya. Being a firm believer that Investment in knowledge pays the best Interest, she is involved in education of children in the villages, giving them an opportunity for higher education beyond the boundaries of the village. Service to the needy is close to her heart and she will thrive to achieve it.

Shri Rajib Kumar Hota has had a distinguished career as an officer of the Indian Revenue Service (1985 batch of IRS) and the Bank of India before thereto. In his career spanning over three and half decades he had extensive exposure to dealing with body corporates, business entities, not for profit companies/ entities, high net worth individuals etc. He has an equally vast experience in Human Resource development, administration, policy formulation, litigation management, dispute resolution etc. He’s been recipient of several awards and recognitions. He’s deeply concerned with welfare of children and strives to contribute his mite towards societal well being. He’s credited with the Bar council and is presently a consultant on tax and management issues.

Mrs Letika Saran is a retired Police Officer who served as Commissioner of Police, Chennai city and later headed the State as Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu. Her 36+ years in service with the Police brought her into contact with extremely poor people. In an effort now to alleviate their suffering, she has set up a food distribution scheme headed by a fivemember trust. The Chennai Roti Bank reaches food to the needy in Chennai everyday.
Giving back to the community is something that she wanted to do for long and now has been able to make this a reality through the Chennai Roti Bank.

A professional Social Worker with over 30 years of experience, working with women and children in the area of adoption, women and empowerment, institutional care and child rights, child protection. During the floods in 2016 and the pandemic and the lockdown it was a great learning as she worked with stranded families, migrants, the unemployed, working with homes for senior citizens by providing dry rations or food parcels or aiding in medical treatment or education for those in need.

Our Appeal

Our daily expense each day on providing a 1000 meals is approximately around Rs. 14,000/-
Your contribution goes a long way to see someone sleeps content because of you. You could give a general donation of any denomination. Any contribution is welcome as we could go forward with a bigger coverage of overcoming hunger, to see that those within our reach do not sleep hungry. Thanking you for your time.
Thanking you for your support!

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