This Chandigarh NGO Is Setting Up ‘Happy Fridges’ So No One Sleeps Hungry In The City!

Food wastage has always been a major concern for the country. While thousands of people throw away unfinished food or meal surplus across the country (especially during festivals, weddings, and other social gatherings) there are scores of people who feed on garbage to survive or often sleep with an empty stomach.

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Despite efforts to ensure that no food is wasted and no one in the country has to sleep hungry, there are still people who do. To remedy this, a Kochi based entrepreneur had installed a fridge outside her restaurant where people could donate leftover food for the homeless. Now a Chandigarh NGO has come up with a way to feed hungry souls citywide.

Feeding India decided to feed hungry citizens with surplus food that one can deposit in their “Happy Fridge”. It all began when they asked people to reach them if they’d like a fridge installed outside their home or commercial office. Sunil Patti was a man who approached an NGO and had the unique fridge set up outside his residential building.

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Through the “Happy Fridge” program, community fridges were then placed by the said NGO, free of cost in several residential and commercial complexes around the city. Now, anyone can put their excess food in the fridge, and people in need can take food from it.

Reportedly a deputy manager at a government bank, Patti started requesting people to store all leftover food in a 300-litre capacity fridge that was positioned at the Radha Krishan temple in Sector 18. Talking to reporters, Sunil said:

“We just want to encourage people to not throw leftover food but get it deposited with us. For example, if a family purchases ten juice packs for guests and five are left they can come to the temple and deposit it with us.”

Aiming to reduce food wastage and feed the hungry, the NGO wants to set up a “Happy Fridge” in every sector.

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“We are hoping that we will be able to feed at least fifty needy people daily. There are so many people who sleep hungry at night and on the other hand, there are so many of us who throw left out food. We want to strike a balance and help the needy. If such a concept is put in place in every sector of the city, it will help a large number of people. The temple authorities will take care of whatever is required and provide food according to the availability, free of cost.”

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In tune with their ideology of reducing food wastage and feeding the hungry, Robin Hood Army, a Delhi based NGO served food to five million people across India and Pakistan under their #Mission5 initiative to celebrate their fifth Independence Day campaign since their inception. Their mission to serve five million citizens across 500 villages in five days was a nationwide success.

It is satisfying to see these people selflessly working for the society and restoring our faith in humanity.

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