Delhi-based NGO Wishes and Blessings to begin its yearly Winter Drives
New Delhi: Wishes and Blessings, a New Delhi-based NGO, has provided winter relief to the poor and needy for the past eight years. The 1st phase of the Winter Drive was launched in December 2014 under their initiative ‘Winter Relief Project’. Since then, every year, the organization has continued the tradition of helping the underprivileged to provide them with some warmth and relief from the piercing cold winter.
Phase IX of the Winter Drive project will operate across communities at bastis and slum areas in Delhi NCR, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. Beneficiaries include people from varied demographics across the rural and urban poor of the aforementioned cities. This year, the NGO is carrying out 7 Mega Drives over a period of 7 Weeks and has pledged to reach out to 500 beneficiaries in each drive. The items that will be distributed include blankets, shawls, mufflers, jackets, caps, socks, gloves, and winter food. The team will ensure that the underprivileged in dire need of help are given priority, and due negligence is conducted prior to each drive to prevent any reselling of the distributed items.
Commenting on the occasion, the Founder and President of Wishes and Blessings Dr Chopra, commented, “Most of us fail to realize the severity and woes of the cold season. Come winter, a majority of the less fortunate people are very often at the disposal of how much cold their bodies can withstand, let alone their capacity to afford a restful night’s sleep. The reality of the matter is -winter kills!, and through our Winter Relief Project we hope that we can reach out to as many people in need to ensure that they are well protected from the harshness of the bitter weather.”
Every year, the extreme cold weather takes a toll on homeless people, amid their challenges, the risk of people freezing to death is high. Based on a study published in the Lancet Planetary Health Journal 2021, nearly 655,400 yearly deaths in India can be attributed to abnormally cold temperatures.
It is also estimated that there are 1.77 million homeless people in the country (Global Homelessness Statistics 2022).
The drives will take place from December 2022 through February 2023 with one drive taking place each week. So far, through this project the organization has managed to provide warmth to over 25,000 homeless and underprivileged people in the last 8 years. The NGO is open to accepting volunteers and sponsors who would like to offer their assistance and extend their support in spreading warmth this winter.
About Wishes and Blessings:
Wishes and Blessings is a registered NGO based in New Delhi. Founded in 2014 under the patronage of Dr Geetanjali Chopra, the organization today has an active presence in 5 states across the country, including Jharkhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. It is a unique platform for linking donors with beneficiaries. The service of the NGO cuts across social and economic barriers. They believe that happiness is a work in a progress-a means to an end and not simply the end itself. True to its mission of spreading smiles and making dreams come true, the NGO has been working on 20 different welfare projects and has impacted the lives of 10,00,000 people in need. The organization focuses on 6 pilot projects, including health, education, nutrition, relief, happiness and customizable charity.
