KOCHI: Minu Pauline, owner of Pappadavada, a restaurant chain in Ernakulam, Kerala, has installed a fridge where 50 food packets are kept every day, in an effort to feed the homeless and needy. 'Nanma Maram' meaning 'virtue tree', has also started to see donations, with people chiming in to donate their excess food. “Anyone can leave leftover food here in this refrigerator so that it can be a solace to the hungry and the starved. We named it 'Nanma Maram' in this context,” Minu said.
The restaurant has requested people to mark the date of preparation of the food on the packets they donate to make sure expired packets are cleaned out. “Apart from the food that Pappadavada keeps in the refrigerator, we request individuals, party makers, event managers, and restaurant owners to deposit left over, but fresh and eatable food, neatly packed in this refrigeration of love.”
With a second outlet opened in Kochi on March 23, it is learnt that the restaurant bears the electricity bill for the fridge and has decided to clean it twice a week. A CCTV camera is also installed for security. “The whole concept of this refrigerator is to send a message to the people not to waste food and instead help the needy,” Pauline said.
