1,000 days of Annavaasal: Erode’s dusk meal mission feeds over 2.5 lakh people

The quiet and consistent effort to ensure that no one goes to bed hungry has crossed a major milestone in Erode. The free dinner initiative, run out of Government Central Hospital, has provided nutritious meals to over 2.5 lakh people so far, completing 1,000 days of continuous service.

The “Annavaasal” initiative, launched on July 26, 2023, is spearheaded by Erode Siragugal, a foundation known for its work in environmental protection, planting trees and relocating faded trees. Over the past eight years, the foundation has also focused on managing food waste by collecting surplus food from marriage halls, meetings and social events and distributing it to slum dwellers, alms seekers, nursing homes, orphanages and people near bus stops and hospitals. But this effort was uneven, as distribution depended on the availability of excess food. During the COVID-19 lockdown, activity came to a temporary halt.