Thiruvananthapuram, May 13 (IANS): In an initiative which has won accolades not just from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan but from numerous others, the Trivandrum Press Club is providing free food to the needy since the state-wide lockdown began on May 8, and as of Thursday, have provided more than 10,000 vegetarian lunch packets.

Led from the front by its Secretary M. Radhakrishnan and his team and supported by leading capital-based charity Sai Gramam, the community kitchen operating from the Press Club building located in the heart of the state capital becomes active by every day after sunset.

"We have hired six people who do the cooking, then there are our own members who join as volunteers, and then there are others who do the packing. Today being Eid-Ul-Fitr, we added a packet of payasem also," said Radhakrishnan.

The community kitchen opened on May 8, when the Club decided to provide lunch for needy journalists and soon it was decided to provide food for the needy and on the first day, 1,000 lunch packets was ready and every day with the demand going up, and on Thursday, the number of launch packets reached 2,750.

"We have got support from our members and many others from the civil society by way of donations in cash and kind and hence every day we are able to increase the numbers. Tomorrow, we are planning 3,250 packets. By around 11.30 a.m,, the packets are ready for distribution and are taken to various spots in the capital city to be given to all needing it, along with a bottle of water... Besides many come to our club to collect. We have now got support from the ward councillors of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation who give us a few volunteers to help us to do the packing," added Radhakrishnan.