On February 26, Loyola College hosted ‘We Are Your Voice — 2017’, a job fair organised exclusively for the differently-abled. While the job fair was under way, there were stalls serving food to the candidates, their families and employers of various organisations. Among these stalls was Café With Care (CWC), serving fresh grape juice.
On CWC’s menu were vegetable biryani, brinjal gravy, curd rice and semiya kesari . However, the rates were missing. That was not an error of omission. The food items were not being sold, but offered free. This was being served with “with love and care”, to borrow a line from CWC’s mission statement.
Started in July 2016 by Sumithra Sekar, a Chennaiite based out of Germany, CWC is a social initiative that is sustained by the spirit of volunteering. Volunteers of all age groups visit homes for underprivileged and disenfranchised, cook and serve meals for them; clean the surroundings and interact with the residents there.
“We are serving people for whom a tasty treat is a dream. It is not about food; there is entertainment and also talks that create awareness about various issues. “We have been taking this initiative to orphanages, destitute centres and old-age homes. The staff and attendants, too, are given a day off and become our guests for the day,” explains Sumithra.
CWC draws its inspiration from Seva Cafe Bengaluru, which in turn was inspired by a similar seva café in Ahmedabad.
A team of 25 volunteers kickstarted the initiative with an event at Sri Arunodayam in Kolathur, where they pitched in and bought the groceries and other essentials.
“We were apprehensive about the response from children with special needs. However, the response we received overwhelmed us. Many volunteers were unfamiliar with cooking and kitchen chores. While a few volunteers cooked, others decorated the venue and played with the children,” says Sumithra.
Positive response to the event led to sponsorships from every quarter.
“We started receiving groceries and other necessary items from various sponsors. If material could not be provided directly by the sponsor, funds were provided,” she explains.
The team also receives online support and guidance from the like-minded across the globe — Bindhu (Zürich), Subhi (US), Rathi (Bahrain) and Chandra (United States).
So far, CWC has taken the campaign to Vishranthi Home for Aged Destitute Women, Palavakkam; Saint Louis Institute For The Deaf And Blind, Adyar; School for Blind in Poonamallee; and to the Irular community in Pazhaveli. They also cooked and served food to the volunteers of the recently-held Coffee With MLAs.
Eco-friendly cooking
CWC not only serves nutritious vegetarian food but also follows sustainable practices while cooking. Food and water are served in banyan leaves and stainless steel tumblers. The use of plastic, in any form, is minimised.
“We also ensure the waste generated from the kitchen is effectively segregated into dry and wet waste. This is then donated to various waste management teams to produce manure and also for the purpose of recycling,” says Sumithra.
Not just the method of cooking, but the ingredients that go into the food also take an organic course. It was their event at the Pandeeswaram village near Avadi that introduced them to the idea of using organic, farm-fresh ingredients.
“It was a new experience for the farmers as well as the volunteers. They cooked some traditional food with jeeragha sambha rice for the farmers and their families. Through interaction with the farmers, they got to familiarise themselves with traditional rice varieties. They even organised an organic farming session for city residents,” says Sumithra.
As part of the organic shift, CWC encourages sponsors to get organic materials. “In fact, efforts to start our own organic vegetable garden are under way,” she smiles.
To contact Café With Care, visit www.facebook.com/Cafewithcare/ or write to cafewithcare@gmail.com.
