New Delhi, November 11, 2020.

The American Tower Foundation, the global philanthropic arm of American Tower Corporation (ATC) has donated to Akshaya Patra Foundation, a leading humanitarian organization to distribute grocery kits across India through the ATC CSR Foundation India. The program provided 19 lakh meals across 31 locations to families who have been adversely impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These include daily wagers, contract workers, and migrant workers who have been displaced and are out of work because of the pandemic.

The distribution drive was carried out over a period of 35 days and benefited 45000 families.

At the beginning of the countrywide lockdown, there was a huge outpouring of support for the displaced and marginalized. These efforts have come down significantly since the country began to reopen. However, there are large swathes of population – especially among migrant workers – that continue to suffer from job losses and depleted savings.

Amit Sharma, EVP and President Asia at ATC said, “As the world battles this unprecedented pandemic, the impact has been felt most acutely by people who are also facing a challenging economic situation to the extent of being unable to garner two meagre meals for their family. As an engaged member of the business and broader social community, American Tower Corporation (ATC) is committed to support COVID relief work and provide assistance through its NGO partner Akshaya Patra Foundation by making available grocery and ration kits to the vulnerable communities. We are extremely thankful to the State Governments, District and Local Authorities for their on-ground support in making this drive a success.”

Each food kit comprises rice, wheat flour, sugar, pulses, cooking oil, and salt.

According to Shridhar Venkat, CEO, Akshaya Patra Foundation, “We are deeply grateful to American Tower Foundation for collaborating with us in reaching out to distressed and unserved communities. COVID-19 has reinforced that we must collectively help those facing economic hardships. Hunger is a crime against humanity and school going children have been severely impacted by malnutrition due to the absence of mid- day meals. During this entire pandemic phase, we have served 90 million meals to families, thanks to donors such as American Tower Foundation. Truly a corporate with a heart and an empathetic partner that embodies zeal.”

The ATC CSR Foundation India along with Akshaya Patra Foundation engaged with social volunteers and government officials to undertake the distribution drive across 16 states.