Jammu and Kashmir: Tiffin service for COVID patients starts in Srinagar

A few days back, Rayees Ahmed, founder of Tiffin Aaw, food home delivery service, received a call from Delhi. On the other side of the phone, a Kashmiri woman wanted food for her COVID-positive parents who were recovering at home in Srinagar.

Rayees said as he continues to deliver home-cooked food to hospitals, front-line workers, office goers, and family members of COVID patients.

“Following these distress calls and given the current situation, I decided that our tiffin service should also reach to those COVID affected who cannot cook. In these times of distress, rather than being afraid, we should get together to help each other even if it is through our business ventures,” Rayees said.

In Srinagar which is the hot spot of COVID cases in J&K, there are many instances where whole families or the majority of family members in a family turn out to be COVID positive.

“We know majority of the patients are being managed at home. They are not in a position to cook food for themselves. We are providing nutritious and hygienic homemade food to such people. In addition to this, we have been delivering food to attendants at hospitals and doctors. Due to the COVID situation, many doctors prefer to order from us as we are delivering at doorsteps of everyone,” Rayees said.

Around a group of 10 people are led by Rayees Ahmed to make delivery of food possible.

“A day back I received two calls from two individuals whose elderly parents were at home and were COVID positive. Since they were not present in Kashmir, we delivered dinner to their parents,” Rayees said.

Following all these instances, Tiffin Aaw decided to deliver food with all the SOPs to these patients in need.

Rayees said last year when food delivery services were resumed following relaxation in COVID lockdown, he attended workshops on safe food delivery by district administration.

“I want to assure our customers that all the SOPs are being followed during delivery to every customer. We will soon upload the mechanism of our food delivery videos on our social media platforms so that people will be all assured,” he said.

He said that the online payment systems have made it easy to make such deliveries possible without physical touch.

Tiffin Aaw is using social media accounts to let people know that they are delivering food for families who are affected by COVID.

“Under our Food for Kashmir campaign, we provide free food to poor COVID patients admitted in hospitals or under home quarantine who can’t afford food. Some people donate money to our Food for Kashmir Campaign and we utilize the amounts for preparing food for needy patients,” said Nida Rehman marketing director of Tiffin Aaw and a social volunteer.

“We have received overwhelming support from people. This is high time to join hands, help people in distress and work together to fight against this Covid pandemic,” Nida added.