Today, the Ahmedabad chapter of the Robin Hood Army brought smiles to the faces of orphaned children at the Saraswati Abhinandan School in Ranip by distributing sweets and cookies. The 'Robin Hood Army' is a volunteer-based, zero-funds organization dedicated to collecting surplus food from restaurants and the community and delivering it to those in need. The journey of the 'Robin Hood Army' began with a simple yet impactful idea: to get leftover food from restaurants to people who need it. Starting as a grassroots initiative, it has evolved over the last decade into a global volunteer movement spanning 12 countries. Globally, more than 300,000 'Robins' are actively engaged in this service. Throughout this period, the organization has made significant strides in its mission to combat hunger and strengthen community resilience. Local chapters across the country are run by friends and colleagues—known as 'Robins'—who primarily consist of students and young working professionals. They dedicate their free time to this service work. The needy groups receiving assistance include homeless families, orphanages, patients in government hospitals, and old-age homes. The Ahmedabad chapter was established in September 2016; today, the 'Robin' family in Ahmedabad consists of over 3,000 members. It is organized into five sub-chapters based on geographical areas, covering the entire city of Ahmedabad. Many prominent hotels, restaurants, cafes, and other establishments in the city have come forward to support this initiative. Joel Suthar, head of the Robin Hood Army's Ahmedabad chapter, notes that while the organization has a dedicated team of volunteers, the goal is ambitious. He suggests that if other citizens join their food drives—even for a single day as 'One-Day Robins'—especially during festivals or 'mega drives,' it would help them reach their objective of feeding as many people as possible. Anyone interested in contributing food or volunteering their time for these food drives can contact us at 9725639646. In addition to distributing surplus and fresh food, this organization engages in various noble initiatives. These include providing education to underprivileged children; distributing ration kits to cancer patients and widows; supplying rations and clothing in villages; supporting old-age homes and orphanages; organizing blood donation camps, tree plantation drives, and cleanliness campaigns; providing medical equipment in special cases; and distributing bicycles to girls. They also conduct a unique "free mall" experience for children called "Chalo Khareedi Kariye" (Let's Go Shopping), distribute stationery and notebooks in villages, provide scribes (writing assistance) for visually impaired students during exams, and organize drives for distributing sweets and celebrating Diwali. If you wish to become a "Robin," the organization simply needs your time. You can reach out to Joyal Suthar, the head of the Ahmedabad chapter of the Robin Hood Army, at 9725639646. You may also contact him to make arrangements for surplus food, clothing, or other items that you wish to donate.
Robin Hood Army, delivering surplus food from restaurants to those in need (service work) is featured on Aapnu Amdavad — the digital home of Ahmedabad, where Amdavadis discover news and everything happening across the city.