Dineout, in partnership with NGO World Help Group, has started scaling its community-driven initiative, Project Thali, to provide cooked meals to the marginalised across 20 cities in India.
Ankit Mehrotra, Co-Founder and CEO of Dineout, drew up the initiative when news reports indicated that labourers and migrants were not able to get meals, and families of migrant workers were left in the lurch.
“So, we got together with many partner restaurants and figured out a three-pronged approach. People can donate ration or cooked food or volunteer or donate through guaranteeing food security for a vulnerable family for 15 days for Rs 1,400 only.”
Till now, Dineout has supplied food to 5,000 postcodes with the help of World Help group. “Every day, more restaurants are coming forward to help. We started with a plan to do it for a few days, but now we want to continue it as long as people keep coming forward to help in whatever way they can,” he added.
While restaurants helped in terms of food, the NGO got in touch with local IAS officers to get passes for movement of vehicles and distribution of food.
“We have partner restaurants in almost every state, and we are able to utilise the kitchens and chefs of 20,000 such restaurants. We are already close to feeding two lakh people daily,” says Mehrotra, adding that Delhi Zaika, Biryani By Kilo and Chaayos are some of the food establishments in Delhi contributing daily.
Dineout has started another initiative – a helpline number, +91 7412077717, for people in need of food.
“We have a central team that takes the request, figures out the nearby area, and logistics. We make sure that we can provide a meal either the same day or the next day at the maximum. Last week, we delivered food to 50,000 stranded people in Assam with the help of the governor. We have distributed food worth Rs 1 crore across the country,” said Mehrotra.Those, who wish to contribute, can log on to dineout.co.in/project-thali.