Essar Foundation offers 1.25 mn meals for underprivileged communities amid COVID-19 outbreak

In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, Essar Foundation has committed to provide meals for needy people of the society at the grassroots level. Apart from this, the company will also provide 1 lakh medical supplies to frontliners for combating the virus spread. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), N-95, 3Ply face masks, and hand sanitisers are supplied to over 10 Government /Private Hospitals in Mumbai and over 9 police stations across South Mumbai. Whereas across Maharashtra, the company has already fed the communities with 6.65 lakh meals including, frontline doctors, Mumbai police force, slum dwellers, daily wage earners, transgenders, etc.

“Our efforts have been focused on reaching out to the most vulnerable communities. Being part of the Government of Maharashtra Corona Control CSR Group, we are able to coordinate directly with the state machinery and work jointly with leading groups. We also have tie-ups with several companies and non-profits to consolidate structured relief efforts by identifying communities and responsibly directing funds.” said the company’s CEO, Kaustubh Sonalkar.

Essar Foundation is also providing around 20,000 meals a day to the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Relief Fund routed for poor section of the society. A number of other corporate houses have also contributed to back the Nation fighting against Coronavirus. Tata Sons and Tata Trust pledged to donate 1500 crore whereas Billionaires like Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani have also contributed a huge amount for it.

Recently, the Indian Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitaraman also declared that CSR funds may be spent for various activities related to COVID-19 for promotion of healthcare, including preventive healthcare, sanitation, and disaster management.

Most of the nations are under a lockdown as Coronavirus outbreak is already declared pandemic and over 200,000 positive cases and 8,000 deaths are reported across the globe.