EAT FOR A CAUSE

3,000 Mumbaikars will eat out to donate part of their bills to the welfare of underprivileged kids

Mumbai has always been accepted as a city that supports a social cause. And when it comes to eating out, every Mumbaikar will swear by it. Bringing the two causes together for charity thus seemed to be natural for a group of IITians.

In a hog-othon titled 'Dine For Charity', Mumbaikars will do charity by dining at restaurants. And over 3,000 Mumbaikars have pledged to eat out this month for a social cause. This initiative was initiated by IITian engineers who have just launched India's first community-based card. And about 50 restaurants in the city have agreed to participate.

A part of the amount of the bill spent on eating out by people will be donated for the welfare of the underprivileged kids. Nikhil Dhoka, founder Mumbai Community card, says, "Our group was sitting at a restaurant in Powai. While we were enjoying a lavish meal I caught sight of an urchin, a young girl who seemed hungry and distraught. Donating some amount was just a temporary solution. We had to address the larger problem and find a solution that would be substantial and sustainable." He adds, "We set our focus on raising funds for underprivileged kids and developed a self-sustained model for this by involving masses into it."

One of the participants of this programme says, "Through this card I ensure that every time my family and I have a lavish dinner, at least one hungry child is fed."

Ankit Kochar, another diner, adds, "I always wanted to help underprivileged kids. Now it's become as easy as eating my favourite dish at my favourite restaurant."

IITians launch India's first community-based card

After staying in media discussions regularly the much discussed and publicized Mumbai Community Card program has been officially launched on 19th March, 2010 at an event where notable personalities like Sheriff of Mumbai Dr. Indu Shahani, Dep. Gen. Manager CRY Madhura Kapdi and others were present.

Sheriff of Mumbai - Dr. Indu Shahani then became the first member of the program amidst a roar of applause and flash of cameras. The presence of various media reporters ensured that the event received substantial exposure in various news sections of websites and newspapers.

To view the media coverage and other details of the event click on the below given links.

Ex-IITians launch community card with a cause

IITians launch community based discount card with a noble cause

A group of entrepreneurs who call themselves 'Corporate Evangelists', are talented youngsters from IIT who are bending the archaic rules of business to meet society's needs profitably.

They are a group with a philanthropic zeal who have quit lucrative jobs to start India's first local loyalty based program christened Mumbai Community Card. It is on the model of inclusive growth-the solution to India's most pressing problems. The pilot of the project is happening in POWAI.

They have already tied up with a dozen merchants in Powai. They are looking forward to support of Powaiites to raise awareness about this program. Shivani Patel, a member of the team told PP, With this card we endeavour to make donations to NGO's as simple as shopping for ourselves. Customer's incur no out-of-pocket expense and yet can help the underprivileged effortlessly. At the same time local merchants who have suffered a blow because of mushrooming malls benefit with this card. More importantly, money remains within a geographic community! This model worked wonders against Walmart's dominance in Boston and now this IITian endeavour has brought it to India.

They are creating a system that works at the grassroots level to shift consumer rupee towards products and services that support the social, economic and ecological health of local communities. In the first year of their operations we along with our supporting merchants will donate close to Rs. 12 lakhs to CRY. To know more on this visit www.mumbaicommunitycard.org

Are you a charitable shopper?

Want to know how shopping from a local vendor can help underprivileged children?

Read on...

These young IITians - Nikhil Dhoka, Amit Kumar and Devendra Rane - have produced a unique concept card called the Community Card.

With this card, consumers are privy to a special royalty programme that combines shopping from your local vendor or a meal at a local restaurant with charity. It works just like a regular cash-back offer at any store. When you buy goods worth a certain amount from the vendor who holds the card, as a consumer you get a certain small amount of cash back.

Now, while a percentage of this amount returns to you (your reward for shopping with the vendor), another small percentage goes to NGO Child Rights and You.

The idea occurred to the threesome in a restaurant in Powai. Nikhil recalls, We saw a little urchin girl wailing as she was very hungry. We bought her some food which solved her problem, but realised that it was just a temporary solution. We had to find a permanent solution to the problem of children going hungry. He adds, We realised that if we give incentives to people to donate, they will be more than willing to contribute and so, we decided on the cash back idea. It's quite a paradox that Indian consumers are filling the pockets of foreign companies. This programme boosts businesses of local vendors.
For the community: Amit Kumar and Nikhil Dhoka