For some months now, actor Jayam Ravi and his wife Aarti have been setting aside used clothes, toys and spare stationery and packing them into cartons. All for the usual charities they hand them over to, and, more importantly, for the second edition of Chennai Gives, which launches on September 4.
The drive, an initiative of Round Table India and Ladies Circle India Area 2, in collaboration with Uber, Aircel and The Hindu , sees the participation of 20 Round Tables and 12 Ladies Circles. It has been conceptualised by Madras Round Table 1. Uber will pick up the donations from homes and corporate offices.
Ravi says that last year, they passed on clothes, toys and furniture. “This year, we want to give at least 350 articles. I guess the habit came from my parents. It was instilled in us that giving is joy. What Aarti and I like about Chennai Gives is that it will reach the deserving. And, I believe that you’ll only get richer when you give.”
Aarti says she sets aside the remnants from her children’s birthday return gifts — tiffin boxes, water bottles and pencil boxes — and this year has been no different.
Last year, Chennai Gives managed to collect about a lakh articles that were distributed among 38 charities. This year, it hopes to hit at least five times that number and help about 100 institutions, says Akshay Dugar, area chairman, RTI Area 2.
T.R. Narayanaswamy, chairman, Madras Round Table 1, says that the response this year has been impressive. “Many celebrities have joined hands with us. Arvind Swami is the brand ambassador for the drive. Plus, we have our corporate drive today (Friday). And, just in terms of people working on the ground to put this together, we’ve grown 10-fold,” he adds.
What gratifies both Narayanaswamy and Akshay is that people are more than willing to chip in. “All they need is direction. They just want to know what we require of them,” says Narayanaswamy.
This time around, Chennai Gives has identified 100 charities that need help. “We have currently identified some basic requirements, but are going to soon list out specific needs as well. The focus is on schools, children and old-age homes. Our city is generous, and we are confident about meeting our targets,” he says.
The last time around, the drive yielded clothes, mostly used and some new, and stationery. Round Table steps in to ensure that what is received is filtered and only what can be used is passed on. This year, about 600 Round Tablers and Ladies Circle members, and volunteers will sort the donations before segregating them.
Akshay says that with Chennai Gives, the feedback both online and off it has been phenomenal. “We’ve even been receiving feelers from other cities, asking how they can chip in,” he says.
And, luckily, their sorting work is not very difficult, because he says that people have sent in only quality goods that are in usable condition. For instance, the clothes are usually washed and ironed. “Else, it does not make any sense. This is also in keeping with our motto. Like we say, that just because you build a school for the underprivileged, it need not look underprivileged.”
Things they need
Clothes, Stationery (crayons,colour pencils, pencil boxes), School supplies, Sanitary towels, Diapers (adult and child), Undergarments (kids and adults). If you wish to donate, the procedure is simple. The organisers request that people stack products in cartons so that they are easy to transport to the sorting centre. On September 4, open the Uber app and book your pick up. Uber will pick up the package for free. For details, mail chennaigives@gmail.com
