BENGALURU: With the rains here in full spate, homeless in the city are gravely in need of a shelter. Auto Raja’s New Ark Foundation is raising funds for a building to feed and home 500 destitute women.
To help this project along, Watson’s on Assaye Road (Ulsoor) is hosting the Auto Raja Charity this Sunday, June 25. Fifty per cent of the profits raised from this will go to the charity.
The eatery has collaborated with By2Blues, which will give a performance this Sunday. The blues band consists of Ananth Menon on guitar and vocals, Vasudev Prabhu on harmonica and Joe Anthony on Cajon. The money raised by this band will also be set aside for the home. Vasudev Prabhu says, “It’s a great to be given a chance to give something back to the people and the society”. After the band, DJ’s from the Watson’s Club will take the stage.
The New Ark Mission of India was started by Auto Raja, an auto driver who has won even national acclaim for the work he does for the destitute. Auto Raja has an inspiring life story of having once being an alcoholic and thief, thrown out his own house by his family and then finding his way back into regular work and charity, after a near-death experience in jail. His mission, which started from his garage with two destitutes, now rescues and rehabilitates hundreds of homeless including children and the elderly.
The Ulsoor restaurant will keep a collection box towards this cause for 10 days, and the Watson’s restaurants in JPnagar and Vasanthnagar will have boxes for seven days to collect donations of shoes, clothes, books and toys for the rescued children. Monetary donations are also welcome.