The COVID-19 pandemic had inflicted immense misery and suffering on people. Though unintended, the consequences of the pan-India lockdown have had a crippling effect, especially on those belonging to the bottom of the pyramid migrant laborer, daily-wage earners, and homeless. Due to which the affected populace was struggling to meet their daily survival needs, including essentials like food. While the government was trying to do its best, given the enormity of the need, their resources were also stretched. This unprecedented situation called for people to rise to the occasion as a community, and provided relief to the distressed. People who were in a better position to help, must not let those in need go hungry for the want of individual or collective efforts. In this state of exigency, our organization in association with I-PAC started Sabki Rasoi — a virtual kitchen program for people in urgent need of food for their survival in Cuttack city and distributed at least 5000 freshly cooked meals over a period of five days.  As a responsible organization we took every possible effort, strictly adhered to the government rules and guidelines for the lockdown and ensured complete compliance with the mandated norms of social distancing and took precautions while distributing food packets in public and semi-public places.

The coronavirus pandemic had left the deprived communities in acute distress. As soon as the lockdown was announced, thousands of daily wagers, construction workers, waiters and others who work in small businesses started to return to their homes in rural India. Factories and establishments were shut down and construction activities had come to a halt. Due to the lockdown, migrant laborer, daily wage earners, transgenders, the differently-abled, agricultural laborer and orphans among others, have been disproportionately affected. With over 40 crore people estimated to be pushed deeper into poverty in hard-hit India, even one square meal is a struggle for most. To tackle this challenge, our organization had lent a helping hand to the needy. With the support received from GOONJ, we provided comprehensive family kits of essentials – largely dry ration, personal care material to needy and poor families in Sambalpur, Odisha. More than 500 families were benefited through this Rahat COVID program.