They are not an NGO. They do not accept donations in cash. They do not have an office. Most importantly, they do not accept leftover food. They are known as Food Bank. They are a group of like-minded individuals who have joined hands to promote the concept of sharing a home cooked meal with the needy.

The concept of Food Bank originated in Chennai, and it is the brainchild of founder Shena Mohandoss. Drawing inspiration from Shena, Vaishanvee Balaji brought the concept of Food Bank to Coimbatore in October 2015.

In Coimbatore a handful people joined hands to distribute food that is cooked in the kitchens of their homes. A majority of them cook individually in their homes. The food is cooked keeping in mind the needy who cannot afford to cook and eat a meal. Left-over food is strictly not accepted. Currently, the strength of the team is nearly 50. The team distributes dinners on Thursdays and lunches on Sundays.

Whatsapp connects the team members who reside across the city. “We do not have an office. In fact, our meetings are organized in public spaces. Through Whatsapp, members are intimated about the venue and meeting time. Those who are interested in cooking a meal for the needy do so, and come with the ready meal. Others pitch in by riding their two-wheelers and assisting in distribution of the food,” Swarajit Alakananda, one of the active team members of Food Bank Coimbatore, says.

There is no restriction on the kind of food that is distributed – both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food are allowed. The rule is simple – the food must be cooked keeping in mind the needy who cannot afford to cook and eat a meal. “Never mind if the person who prepared the meal cannot participate in the food distribution drive. Once we receive a request from a good Samaritan for food to be picked up, the team member nearest to the location visits and collects the food,” Swarajit says.

The group is strictly against the policy of collecting leftover food, he adds.

The team has identified 19 areas in Coimbatore, and food is distributed by the team in these areas. We are told that Food Bank plans to reach out to many more areas in the city in future. The team members of Food Bank Coimbatore recently organized their 50th food distribution drive, and so far they have distributed over 3,500 packets of food.

Swarajit shares with us that since the team is against receiving cash, they accept packets of biscuits, water bottles and bread loaves. But he insists the same must not be leftovers or stale. They must be purchased with the sole intention of sharing it with those who cannot afford the same.