8 Celebrities Doing All They Can to Help The Needy During Lockdown

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While the nation has been in a lockdown for the past two months, lakhs of people have been struggling to survive due to the restrictions imposed not to forget the migrant labourers who are trying to find a way home. Thankfully, many NGOs, social service communities and celebrities have joined hands to provide essential supplies, food, shelter and mode of transport to assist the people in need.

Read about these eight celebrities who have not just contributed money, but have gone out of their way to help those in need during these trying times

1. Vikas Khanna

Despite being in New York during the lockdown period, Michelin star chef Vikas Khanna has ensured that his support is extended to those suffering across India. So far he has provided 50 tons of dry ration including rice atta and dal. Along with this, he has also provided sanitary pads to NGOs, orphanages, old-age homes, social service groups and individuals in 50 cities across India. Vikas is also providing food to the street food vendors who have lost their business due to the lockdown.

“All these years, they have stood for hours to feed people. And now they don’t have food for themselves. We’ve reached out to them. Supplies are being sent to Hyderabad and Bengaluru too,” says Vikas.

2. Athiya Shetty

Sunil Shetty’s daughter Athiya Shetty and wife Mana Shetty are supporting children in need through the ‘Save The Children India’ organisation by organising relief kits which include essential groceries and medicine. Athiya has also been helping the NGO by sourcing hearing aids and specific batteries for children with hearing disabilities.

“The battery was running out and all the warehouses were shut, so we had to contact different warehouses to procure these batteries,” Athiya told News 18.

3. Irfan and Yusuf Pathan

Former cricketers and brothers, Irfan and Yusuf Pathan have distributed around 4,000 masks to a neighbourhood in Vadodara, Gujarat. Besides this, they have also distributed 5,000 kg rice, 5,000 kg of potatoes, 700 kg of potatoes and 10,000 kg of grains that would provide for each family in the neighbourhood for at least a month.

Encouraging his followers to do their bit, Irfan tweeted:

Doing our bit for the society. Whatever u guys can do please go ahead and help each other as far as sanitation is concerned.But don’t gather crowd! @iamyusufpathan #corona it’s a small start hopefully we will be keep helping more. Everyone of us… pic.twitter.com/7oG7Sx4wfF

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) March 23, 2020

4. Sonu Sood

After receiving permission from the Karnataka and Maharastra governments, 46-year-old actor Sonu Sood arranged for 10 buses along with meal kits for migrants stuck in Mumbai. He also donated more than 1500 PPE kits to doctors in Punjab and gave his Mumbai hotel as accommodation for medical workers.

“Every Indian deserves to be with their families and dear ones in this crisis. So it was really difficult for me to watch these migrants walk on roads including the little kids and old parents,” Sonu said in a statement.

5. Rakul Preet Singh

Actress Rakul Preet Singh along with her family has been cooking meals for over 200 families during the lockdown. The meals are made in her apartment complex and distributed to needy families in Gurugram.

“We are facilitating two meals a day for all those people and we have decided to do it till the time the lockdown is in place. If the lockdown gets pushed further, I will keep doing that,” Rakul said to the Times of India.

6. Soha Ali Khan

Actress, Soha Ali Khan is urging people to provide rations to 50,000 migrant workers in the Dharavi slums. She encouraged her followers to donate for the cause in a tweet.

Covid 19 has struck Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum in Mumbai. The only way to stop it spreading is if people stay home. Please support us to provide rations to 50,000 migrant workers without income and food during the lockdown. Click on the link to donatehttps://t.co/rJdjRiVEJg

— Soha Ali Khan (@sakpataudi) May 2, 2020

7. Dutee Chand

Sprinter Dutee Chand drove 70km from Bhubaneshwar to her village Chaka Gopalpur, Jaipur and distributed over 1000 food packets to the needy.

8. Prakash Raj

Actor Prakash Raj has arranged food and shelter for 11 daily wage workers and their families from Puducherry and Chennai in his farmhouse near Hyderabad. In a recent tweet, he requested his followers to take care of atleast one person or family as a celebration of humanity.

On my birthday today ..I did this .gave shelter to 11 stranded workers from Pondichery..chennai.. Khammam.. it’s not just government s responsibility..it’s ours too. #COVID2019 #21daylockdown #kuchKaronna .. let’s celebrate humanity .. let’s fight this united .. 🙏 #JustAsking pic.twitter.com/OX9hWqH05N

— Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) March 26, 2020

Want to do your bit for the needy too? Join #BetterTogether – our initiative to provide ration kits and cooked meals to migrant workers during the COVID-19 crisis.

Donate here: https://bit.ly/riseagainstcovid19

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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