Tara Patkar and his team of volunteers started Roti Bank campaign  to make sure no one sleeps hungry in the town of Mahoba a small town in the Bundelkhand region in Madhya Pradesh.. Roti Bank collects food from over 500 households and feeds more than 1000 people every day.

An extra portion of simple roti and sabzi is made in the kitchens of over 500 households, collected by volunteers, and distributed by shops in the town.

Tara ,  who used to work as a journalist with Indian Express in Lucknow said “I became a journalist so I could contribute to society. But I felt I needed to do more work on the ground. So I left my career to devote all my time to social service . 

Volunteers pick up the food in thermocol boxes from people’s homes and deliver them at various designated Roti Bank locations, which are mostly shops. Volunteers and shopkeepers distribute the food to the needy. People can have as much food as they want, for free. 

Within the next three months, the number of households providing food for the hungry rose from the initial 40 to 400!

Tara has even refused the awards people wanted to give him for his selfless service. He says his reward is people starting Roti Banks in their own towns. Your city or town could be next! Tara Patkar and his team are more than willing to share their experience with anyone who wants to start a Roti Bank. You can write to him at tarapatkar@gmail.com

All ideologies and philosophies are of no use if there is someone near you who goes to sleep on a hungry stomach,” says Tara,