Food Distribution Home School Kits Provisions Distribution Distribution CHENNAI FLOOD RELIEF OPERATIONS 2015 A Report on Sri Arunodayam’s Involvement November 14, 2015 to January 05, 2016 Sri Arunodayam Charitable Trust, 35, Sivananda Nagar, Kolathur, Chennai – 600099 (TN), India www.sriarunodayam.org # 9444915803 [email protected] A Background Sri Arunodayam Charitable Trust is a registered organisation that works for the well- being of mentally challenged children who have been abandoned by their families. Opened in 2002, the organization was founded on firm humanitarian values of love, care, and tireless service, enabling it to handle any humanitarian crises as they arise. Although Sri Arunodayam’s main focus is on abandoned, mentally challenged children, it could not turn its eyes away from the terrible plight of other suffering people, especially during the recent floods in Chennai. And so, armed with a heart for action, Sri Arunodayam opened its doors to all during this critical period, and together with the help of compassionate donors and volunteers, set about making an impact in the lives of those affected. After the first ten days of relief work, Good Shepherd School, Nungambakkam joined hands with Sri Arunodayam and more than 50,000 meals, 2,000 school kits and 5,000 ration kits were distributed in the surrounding areas. Through the effective use of Social Media, Sri Arunodayam was able to reach a global audience, which helped garner resources within a short time. The text in italics in this report are excerpts from the posts made on Facebook. (For more information and pictures on this entire operation, please visit our FB page: https://www.facebook.com/iyyappan.subramaniyan.73) This report chronologically describes the relief work that was spearheaded by Sri Arunodayam and its volunteer groups. www.sriarunodayam.org [email protected] How it all began… The northeast monsoon was late in Tamil Nadu but when it did show up, nothing could have prepared the people of Chennai for a disaster of such epic proportions! On the 9th of November 2015 the heavy rains began. The roads in Sivananda Nagar - where Sri Arunodayam has its office and Girls Home – were flooded. We decided to move the girls and the infants to a safer place - our facility at Madanankuppam. Little did we know that we were embarking on a long journey of relief work that went well beyond the care of our children at Sri Arunodayam. www.sriarunodayam.org [email protected] Flood Relief Operations - Phase I (Basic Needs) 14 November 2015 On this day, we witnessed the first signs of flood fury in the Kolathur area - the locality where Sri Arunodayam operates. Iyyappan Subramaniyan (Founder) posted the following message on Facebook: There are many families in and around Kolathur that are badly affected by the heavy rains and are in need of food. I want to help these families by providing them with meals from tomorrow. For this, I need rice, dhal, vegetables, salt, and masala items to be able to cater for meals for around 500 people. I request you to help by donating the provisions, which I will collect from your homes. Please contact me on 9444915803 for more information. Thank You. www.sriarunodayam.org [email protected] 15 November 2015 This humble request was answered by several donors who provided groceries, vegetables, money, and other resources. Quite a number of them turned up at our doorstep volunteering to prepare, cook, and distribute the food. Thus, the Food Distribution activity commenced with lunch on the 15th of November 2015. Over the next few days this grew to preparing and distributing all three meals - breakfast, lunch, and dinner - and travelling to locations where people were in dire need of food. Food distribution at Bharath Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, Kolathur. Thank you so much for your support. We provided lunch for 250 people today. We are preparing food for the people of Thirumal Nagar now. Distribution will start at 5 pm. Do join us if you are anywhere near Kolathur and Vinayagapuram. Food distributed to the people of Thirumal Nagar (Kolathur). Thank you so much, friends, for your timely support. Today, we provided food for more than 500 people who were badly affected by the rain. I would like to continue food distribution for the next 5 days, so please help again by donating provisions. We need rice, dhal, oil, ghee, red chillies, tamarind, sambar powder, salt, and vegetables like carrots, beans, potatoes, brinjals, drumsticks and green chillies. www.sriarunodayam.org [email protected] 16 and 17 November 2015 We distributed food to the residents of Bharath Rajiv Gandhi Nagar in Kolathur. Sri Arunodayam received calls from Vyasarpadi Jeeva Nagar requesting for food. We promised to send them breakfast on the 18th. Iyyappan posted a request on Facebook, saying: If you are near Vyasarpadi Jeeva, please help people with food today. www.sriarunodayam.org [email protected] 18 November 2015 In SIDCO Nagar and in some places near ICF (Integral Coach Factory) there was no water, electricity, or food available for three days. With the support of donors, we provided sambar rice and vegetable biriyani to the people in these areas. Iyyappan's Facebook post that day: Anybody interested in volunteering or sponsoring? Please get in touch with us. And the volunteers kept pouring in… www.sriarunodayam.org [email protected] 19 November 2015 Food was distributed to the people living in Sathankadu, North Chennai. Today's food was prepared at Freedom Bakery by the inmates of Puzhal Prison. Sri Arunodayam received relief material from the Chennai Rain Relief (CRR) team. The mats and drinking water bottles were distributed the next day at SIDCO Nagar. Sri Arunodayam’s kitchen team prepared food for distribution in Kolathur, SIDCO Nagar, and Ennore. www.sriarunodayam.org [email protected] 20 November 2015 Food and water were distributed to people who took refuge in the Thirukandalam (Ellapuram Ondrium) Relief Camp. Food, plastic mats, bedsheets, and water were distributed among families living in Kannagi Nagar. Breakfast was distributed to people in Bharath Rajiv Gandhi Nagar. Homemade idly and sambar were also prepared by our donors. www.sriarunodayam.org [email protected] 21 and 22 November 2015 Food was distributed to the people of Kannagi Nagar and Bharath Rajiv Gandhi Nagar. Food, water, bedsheets and plastic mats were distributed to the gypsy communities living in Annaikattu at Thamaripaakam. www.sriarunodayam.org [email protected] 23 and 24 November 2015 Food was distributed to the people of Bharath Rajiv Gandhi Nagar. The distribution was facilitated by Good Shepherd School, Nungambakkam www.sriarunodayam.org [email protected] 27 November 2015 Bread and water were distributed to Bharath Rajiv Gandhi Nagar by the employees of Bank of Baroda. Bedsheets, plastic mats, and drinking water were distributed to 315 families in Bharath Rajiv Gandhi Nagar in Kolathur. www.sriarunodayam.org [email protected] 27 November 2015 The Commissioner of the Corporation of Chennai was very impressed with the relief work being carried out by Sri Arunodayam and Good Shepherd School. The Corporation invited the team to make a presentation during its Zonal Officers Meeting on the 27th November. The relief work was appreciated by all the officers. To avoid work duplication, it was agreed that we work in co-ordination with the Corporation for the next phase of relief operations. The encouragement and support we received was good motivation for us. www.sriarunodayam.org [email protected] 28 and 29 November 2015 Volunteers from Good Shepherd School and Sri Arunodayam visited Ellaikudi, TV Nallore and Samathuvapuram in Cuddalore District, and distributed bedsheets, mats, rice, clothes, vessels, bread and biscuits to more than 500 families. Students from Women's Christian College and School of Excellence in Law helped us with the distribution. www.sriarunodayam.org [email protected] 02 December 2015 Food was distributed in Arani and Periyapalayam areas. The Chennai Rain Relief 2015 Control Room co-ordinated the rescue of thousands of people and served as a hub to connect them with relief camps and medical care centers. www.sriarunodayam.org [email protected] 3 December 2015 Food was distributed to the people living on the banks of the Kosasai River near Thirukandalam Village, Thiruvallur District. In addition, food was distributed to more than 4000 people in the following areas: Kannagi Nagar and Bharath Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, Kolathur, Naravaarkuppan, and Redhills; and in Thiruvallur District: Kannigaiper, Thirukandalam, and Anna Nagar near Thirukandalam Village. Iyyappan posted a request on Facebook requesting for bottled drinking water, as people were in dire need of safe drinking water. www.sriarunodayam.org [email protected] 4 December 2015 Iyyappan posted helpline numbers on Facebook to rescue stranded or missing children. Food and water were distributed to more than 5000 people in the following areas: In Chennai - Surapallam MGR Nagar, near Padi Junction - Naravaarkuppam in Redhills, and in Thiruvallur - Manjankarnai, Kannigaiper, Thirukandalam and Anna Nagar near Thirukandalam village. www.sriarunodayam.org [email protected] 5 December 2015 Sri Arunodayam’s team reached out to eight areas in Chennai and Thiruvallur Districts and distributed food, water, and biscuits to 4700 people. With the support of individuals and organizations across the world,