Food Scheme appeal

Our "Food Scheme” was started at a small level to feed the old, infirm and handicapped within the community. Most of them unfortunately do not have any offspring to depend on or have been totally abandoned by their children. Left to themselves, they are not able to have even one proper meal a day. Sad that in an elite community like ours, our brethren are uncared and unloved in the eventide of their lives.

Thanks to benevolent individuals and donors we are able to tend to their daily meals. But the demand is much in excess of the funds generated and hence this appeal. Your generous contribution helps us in reaching out to our poor brethren.

While I do realize that most donors to the "Food Scheme” do not ask us to give an account of our activities, we feel obliged to give you an overview of the same if for no other reason than to give an idea of how your funds are utilized.

Every year we incur Rs 4,32,000 to feed the 30 old and infirm Zoroastrians who have no one to turn to; Rs 82,800 on six students — sons of chasniwalas studying in Bombay colleges and staying at the Manekji Sett Agiary Hostel; Rs 47,000 on 17 poor Parsi students of the J. B. Vachha School for Parsi Girls (Monday to Friday, subsidized lunch) and Rs 1,18,800 on 30 khandhias/nassessalars/bungli staff (all Parsis, breakfast only).

It is purely because of donors and well-wishers from all over the world that we have today been able to reach out to so many. Anything new elicits a great response initially which however tends to wane with the passage of time and when this happens the drying up of funds forces us to curtail and restrict the scope of our program.

This scheme is one of the latest programs of the Mancherji Edalji Joshi Memorial Trust. We are a public trust, registered with the Charity Commissioner, Maharashtra, under the Bombay Public Trusts Act 1950 as well as under Sec. 12A of the Income Tax Act 1961. We have been issued certificates by the Income Tax Authorities, under Sec. 80G of the Income Tax Act 1961 that entitles donors to claim a deduction from their total income under Sec. 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961 within the prescribed limits.

Our other charitable activities include: education for the poor, scholarship for further studies abroad, medical assistance in case of major illness, medical facilities for the poor, monthly financial assistance for the poor and the needy, free distribution of exercise books to the underprivileged, free uniforms to the Municipal school children, environment and ecological improvement in the Dadar area, discourse classes for youngsters to inculcate high moral values in life, etc.

All cheques towards the Food Scheme should be drawn in favor of the Mancherji E. Joshi Memorial Trust and forwarded to the undersigned at Jesia Building, 797, Jam-e-Jamshed Road, Parsi Colony, Dadar, Bombay 400014, Tel: +91 (22) 24149571, +91 9820982623, e-mail food_aid@ mejmt.org

MITHOO JIMI JESIA

Trustee, Mancherji Edalji Joshi Memorial Trust