By Pervez Saleem
Video courtesy by Youtube
AP

“At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.” – Mother Teresa.

“There’s enough on this planet for everyone’s needs but not for everyone’s greed.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man made and can be removed by the actions of human beings.” – Nelson Mandela
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What is the Robin Hood Army?

The Robin Hood Army is a zero-funds volunteer organization that works to get surplus food from restaurants and communities to serve the less fortunate.

Our “Robins” are largely students and young working professionals – everyone does this in their free time. The lesser fortunate sections of society we serve include homeless families, orphanages, patients from public hospitals and old age homes.Robin Hood Army
Mission to Feed Hungry

The Robin Hood Army is a zero-funds volunteer organization that works to get surplus food from restaurants and communities to serve the less fortunate.

Our “Robins” are largely students and young working professionals – everyone does this in their free time. The lesser fortunate sections of society we serve include homeless families, orphanages, patients from public hospitals and old age homes.

How did this start?

Modeled on the Re-Food program in Portugal, the Robin Hood Army started on the streets of Delhi, India in August 2014.

So where are you now?

At last count, we have served 29.9 million people across 180 cities in 12 countries. Still 1% Done.

What about funds?

We have just one rule – we are a zero funds organization. The Robin Hood Army has no revenue, employees, nor office space – if you want to help, all we need is your time. By the way, our balance sheet from last year:

Wait, I don’t get it. How do you grow without money?

Simple – we are in the business of spreading smiles. We share our experiences on social media. Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp are our tools to grow. Along the way, our extremely passionate Robins and kind members of the press community have helped drive our mission to the world.

I like this-how can I help?

Easy – we need just 3 hours of your week on a regular basis. You can join our team of Robins or contribute food in your city – you’ll find everything you need to know.

Do you provide certificate to volunteers?

Naa – we want our team to serve less fortunate people, not build their own polished resumes
Citizens First → Mission Next → Robins Last.

How can I donate?

Thanks for wanting to support us – the Robin Hood Army DOES NOT accept money. We have grown through contributions in kind and partnerships.

I’m with the press and want to know more! How do I get in touch?

Thanks for the interest – hopefully this will help us spread our reach to more Robins, more cities, and more people. Do write to us at info@robinhoodarmy.com.
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The Problem

The challenge is not a lack of food – it is making food consistently available to everyone who needs it.
1- Hunger kills more people each year than AIDS, malaria and terrorism combined
2- Every 10 seconds, a child dies from hunger
3- 82% of hungry people live in countries with food surpluses, not food shortages
4- One in every eight people sleeps hungry each night
5- One-third of the food produced around the world is never consumed
6- 850 million hungry people in the world

Our vision

Simple really, beat global hunger and bring out the best of humanity using food as a medium.The idea is to create self-sustained chapters across the world who will look after their local community. And in the process, inspire people around us to give back to those who need it most.

Our Journey

On the army’s first night of distribution, we realized that helping the less fortunate may feel good personally, but feeding 50 odd people at night, once a week would not create any real difference in a country where millions are starving.

Our Culture
Citizens First → Mission Next → Robins Last

How You Can Help

Volunteer Time

All we need is 3 hours/week at least twice a month to make a real impact. If we have a team in your city looking to grow, a Robin will reach out to you.

Contribute Food

If you manage a restaurant or generally want to contribute regular meals from your family or workplace, let’s connect.

Teach

Creating access to education is the purest form of nation building – do you want to teach our kids in the Robin Hood Academy?

Hunger is an acute problem. We needed to reach out to more people, more restaurants, and more cities – our deadline being yesterday.

2014-15 … 2,314 Robins 8 Cities
2016 …. 6,375 Robins32 Cities
2017 ….10,350 Robins 48 Cities
2018 …. 24,677 Robins 103 Cities
2019 …. 28,164,165 served 159 cities

How would you like to help, Robin?
https://robinhoodarmy.com/volunteer-sign-up
https://robinhoodarmy.com/

Video: Volunteers fighting food waste and feeding the poor