If you stand outside the general ward of the Government General Hospital in Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh, around lunchtime, a familiar scene unfolds. Attendants who have spent hours beside their loved ones step away briefly to collect a simple, nourishing meal served with quiet efficiency by volunteers. Many have travelled from nearby villages, carrying little more than hope and whatever resources they could gather. Tired, anxious, or unsure of how long their stay will last, they find in that warm meal a small but steady moment of relief—easing both emotional strain and financial burden.
The scene is now familiar, but it began with a simple realization the Nandyal Seva Pragathi Lions Club, District 316J observed at the hospital. While inpatients received government-funded meals, their attendants—parents, spouses, and elders keeping vigil beside them—often had no access to food. To bridge this gap, the club launched the hunger-relief program in November 2017 as part of the Lions International Centennial Service Initiative.
1.9 Million Meals Served Zero Days Missed
With support from donors, the club began serving lunch and dinner every day. The meals are simple, but their consistency has made the program a vital support system. Today, more than 600 people receive food daily—a number that reflects both the scale of the need and the trust the community has placed in the service.
Since its launch, the service has continued without a single break—through festivals, holidays, and difficult periods. More than 1.9 million meals have been served so far.
The project’s impact has extended well beyond Nandyal. Lions Clubs in Proddatur, Kadapa, Bethamcherla, Guntakal, Nellore, and several other towns have adopted similar initiatives, recognizing the difference a dependable meal can make to families navigating illness.
What began as an effort to meet a basic need has grown into a thoughtful, widely embraced act of care—offering dignity and reassurance, one meal at a time.