New Delhi, Oct 3 (Agency) The Apollo Foundation’s Billion Hearts Beating not-for-profit will support underprivileged seniors from over 150 old age homes across India The decision was taken after consultations with the homes and a nutritionist, during September’s #PoshanMaah2021 In its effort to address the physical wellbeing of the senior population, Billion Hearts Beating has committed to providing ration kits to the residents of over 150 old age homes across the country. This will mean that 6,000+ people will have access to better nutrition across the next year. The dry ration kit, offered free, has 10 kg worth of provisions. It includes a locally available rice variety, a mix of two pulses, poha, oats, bajra dalia, turmeric powder, salt, and rice bran oil.
In a month-long process through #PoshanMaah2021, the national nutrition month of the Government of India, the needs of residents were assessed, and orders placed with Big Basket, who will be delivering the provisions on a monthly basis. Seniors across Delhi-NCR, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Gujarat and Maharashtra, where the old age homes are based, will benefit. Further, the bags in which delivery will take place, are stitched by the women employed by Apollo Foundation’s Total Health, the corporate social responsibility initiative of Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited. The project, based in Aragonda, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, addresses livelihood needs and empowers women through its work in the community. Upasana Kamineni Konidela, Vice Chairperson CSR of Apollo Foundation, of which Billion Hearts Beating is a part, said, “The aim of the ration kit supply is to ensure high quality nutrition for seniors, while also catering to the regional needs of the residents, with an eye on food diversity. This is why we brought on board reputed nutritionists from Apollo Hospitals who helped us formulate a nutrition plan that would ensure a healthy, age-appropriate diet.” Billion Hearts Beating already supports the over 150 homes with free medicines and periodic camps held by the doctors of Apollo Hospitals.