Big-hearted Miranthi Dole, the
founder of A Box of Goodness, has launched a community food drive to support
individuals and families in need that have been affected by the Covid-19
crisis.
The head of business development and
marketing at a real estate company started A box of Goodness in October 2016 on
Instagram as a simple exercise to create the habit of giving. She encouraged
people to add items to a box on a daily basis and at the end of the month, that
box of goodness would be shared with someone in need.
Since then, her act of kindness
activity flourished with several people providing boxes full of essentials to
the less fortunate through her account.
Miranthi, known to her friends as
Miro, is now running a food drive with her generous volunteers and is urging
others across the kingdom to lend a helping hand.
“Our focus right now is to help those
whose livelihoods are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Miro. “With shop
and business closures, many have been asked to take unpaid leave, and or, have
been made redundant. There are large numbers of daily wage earners who no
longer have work and they are severely affected. We have already provided
almost 150 food packs to the Migrant Workers Protection Society, and in the
coming days, aim to help as many as 200 families as well.
“We are hopeful that this situation
will end soon and we wish to help people survive these bad days. The kingdom
and the medical teams fighting this pandemic in the forefront should be lauded
to no end – their swift action has helped keep the pandemic in control. The
kingdom has also provided relief to its citizens and residents making life a
lot easier. But we continue in our efforts to help people with basic food items
so that they have one less expense to worry about.”
The giving group is appealing to the
public to help collect dry food items such as rice, flour, oil, dhal, lentils,
salt, milk powder, tea, sugar, canned foods, pasta, beans and so forth. People
are encouraged to purchase items and deliver it to the drop off location in
Sanabis or food items can be purchased through All Food Co.
All Food Co partnered with A Box of
Goodness to offer people fresh vegetables and fruits at cost.
“As part of their charitable
endeavours, they have waived off their profit margins and will deliver these
foods to us at cost,” explained Miro. “We will work with All Food Co to hand
out the food packs to deserving families. People can contact them on Instagram
to make payments online and share food to our cause by mentioning the code
#ABOGAppeal.
“At the same time, people can place
an order online from any supermarket, Talabat or InstaShop to have food items
delivered to us. All the food is sorted and packaged to suit the individuals or
families they are finally shared with.”
Miro’s initial aim for @boxofgoodness
is to raise a generation that is selfless, giving and always sharing goodness.
She and her volunteers have supported the Al Sanabel Orphan Care Society for
almost three years and have often provided furniture, clothing and toys to the
families affiliated with the Centre. She has also organised group birthday
parties for children to celebrate their birthdays.
“With the help of people, we organise
food, games and gifts for the children and their siblings,” added Miro. “We
also take great care in taking care of the environment and we organise beach
cleanups regularly. The plastic we collect off the beaches are provided to the
Bahrain Association for Parents & Friends of Disabled; who in turn use the
funds from the sale of plastic to recycling plants to purchase wheelchairs for
the disabled in Bahrain. We actively work towards feeding the hungry with the
support of people who always share in kind. Our annual projects include a
Ramadan Food Drive and a Winter Appeal. Many companies and schools support us
in our projects.”