Volunteering has always been a part of Agrima Singh’s life; she earlier taught underprivileged children and supported sustainable livelihood for trafficked women. She joined the Mahindra Group two years ago and currently works as a Senior Manager with Group HR, Mumbai.

With the surge in the number of Covid-19 cases in the country, many people who were quarantined in their houses relied on home-cooked meals but had no energy to prepare these for themselves. Thus, home-cooked food became a part of the essentials list. The idea to provide free meals dawned on Agrima when she set out to help her close friend and husband, who were hospitalised. During this testing time, she pitched in by cooking meals every day for her friend’s family in isolation — her in-laws and three-year-old daughter. She recalls, “I realised that the burden was huge on the households, where everyone was either suffering or recovering from the disease. I did not want to donate money but instead explored other opportunities to contribute.”

Agrima discovered the Covid Meals for India campaign and made up her mind to join this movement. As a part of the initiative, she cooked around 45 meals each day and engaged with delivery partners for distribution. However, later on, she collaborated with Covid Meal riders, who volunteered to deliver her food.

People loved her food, and as word spread, Agrima started to receive requests from other affected families. What touched the patients were her handwritten personalised notes wishing them a speedy recovery. “The entire process itself was extremely gratifying,” she says.

The feedback and appreciation Agrima received were encouraging. “I was humbled and felt extremely happy to bring a smile back on those families. This has kept me going during the devastating second wave of Covid,” she explains. Volunteering helped her support those in need and connected her with like-minded individuals who wished to make a change.

Today, she has shared her story on the Spirit of Service portal to inspire others to contribute in any manner possible. Volunteers like Agrima serve as a reminder to take that first step, even from the confines of our home, to make a positive change.

Agrima Singh is among the many employees of the Mahindra Group who have pledged to give back 750,000 hours of service to the community in the 75th year. All employees clocking in 7.5 hours of service through MySeva from October 2, 2020, to October 1, 2021, would receive an e-certificate from Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group.

Employees can record their Acts of Kindness by registering on the Spirit of Service portal - https://spiritofservice.mahindra.com/

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