In quarantine & too sick to cook? A hot meal is just a call away

In quarantine & too sick to cook? A hot meal is just a call away

Priya.Menon@timesgroup.com

Chennai:  22.04.2021 

When Jayalakshmi Sundaresan tested Covid-positive, she was overwhelmed by the love she received from friends and family, particularly those who made an effort to send her nutritious, vegetarian food so she could enjoy a homecooked meal. She has now decided to provide this dose of love to others quarantining at home.

“When I tested positive, I immediately sent my mother away to a relative’s as she has low immunity,” says Sundaresan. “The first week I was asymptomatic but later I had every symptom and was too sick to cook. Luckily, friends and relatives sent me meals all through my quarantine.”

With the second wave sweeping across the city, many Good Samaritans have taken to providing free, nutritious meals to those quarantining at home.

Abinaya Karthik, 34, who runs an industrial catering unit in Villivakkam, launched last week her initiative, ‘Mission Upkhar’, offering free food to underprivileged patients.

“There are many people out there who cannot afford to have healthy meals, so I wanted to provide them with food that will help boost their immunity,” says Abhinaya, who is now providing free food to 20 patients. “My kitchen is in Villivakkam so we can deliver food to people within a 5km radius. I am catering also to 50 other patients who want homely food and can pay for it.”

She usually provides idlis, idiyappams or millet dosa for breakfast, a south Indian thali, and a vegetable or fruit salad for lunch and chapattis or idiyappams for dinner. “We also give sachets of carrot, turmeric or ginger malt along with the food as it boost immunity,” she says.

Sundaresan plans to start the free service from April 23. “After I put up a post on social media, a few friends who are down with Covid-19 have reached out,” says Jayalakshmi, whose mother, aunts and friends will be helping her with the initiative. “People can contact me on Instagram and I will Dunzo the food to them.”

Anna Nagar resident Vimala Davuluri, who runs the restaurant Agraharam, is also offering to do the same.Alexander Athisayanathan, who provided meals for the homeless throughout the national lockdown, says he will be doing the same now and also extend it to patients who are quarantining at home.

“Last April, I distributed survival kits containing vegetable biriyani, curd rice, bisi bele bath, a water bottle, one soap, one mask, and any fruit, either two bananas or two oranges,” he says. “From this weekend, I am restarting the initiative as I have a team of volunteers. Any patient who wants a homely meal can reach out to me. And we will ensure it is delivered to them free of charge.”

Many have offered to deliver meals to Covid patients isolating at home. You can contact Jayalakshmi Sundaresan via Instagram, Alexander Athisayanathan on 9940026050/6382598558 and Mission Upkhar on 9940233323