On October 2, Chennai Volunteers kick-started its next major initiative — Karma Store, a free pop-up store for the homeless.
This concept evolved organically from our feeding programme for the homeless, Dinners With Dignity.
Both the programmes share the objective of helping us become more inclusive as a civic society, which includes sharing our resources with the homeless.
At Karma Store, the homeless can pick up their basic necessities for free. Volunteers will donate some of these basic items in new or almost-new condition.
How it works
A pop-up store has been set up at two select institutions in Chennai — Root Trust in Santhome and Sri Arunodayam Trust in Kolathur.
As part of the initiative, we will organise a soup kitchen once a week at both the venues and feed the hungry.
Through the Dinners With Dignity project — which provides home-cooked meals to the homeless, every week — we will identify and reach out to more homeless people.
These institution will have a small store where basic but essential items such as soap, toothpaste and toothbrush, shirts, pants, saris, footwear and bedsheets will be stocked.
When we see a person who needs these items, we will hand him a set of these. Volunteers can donate new or gently-used clothes and other essentials, also in good condition. These can be given either on a hanger or in a transparent cover, packed individually.
Since the launch of Karma Store, we have noticed that many people visiting the store live in straitened circumstances; and we decided to make a small difference in their lives.
Our homeless friends usually visit Karma Store on Saturdays.
It is heart-warming to see a group eagerly awaiting our arrival. We interact with them and introduce them to the concept of Karma pop-up store.
Those volunteering through Chennai Volunteers serve hot meals and distribute other essentials to them.
We provide them with the opportunity to choose what they want by first asking them about it. If Karma Store has it, we offer it to them; if not, we promise to give it to them the following week.
To become a Karma Store volunteer, all you have to do is register yourself as a volunteer at www.chennaivolunteers.org, and we will take it from there.
(Rinku Mecheri is the founder of Chennai Volunteers)
