First conceived as a "ticketing system" to manage aid efforts during lockdown 2, now planned as

• Crowdfunding with #DirectDonations
• Further the cause of hunger, homelessness and animals
• Place to network those already doing work on these fronts

The Concept Note (April 23rd)

How we see this Crises Project unfolding

1. What if some media savvy youngsters, a few forward thinking restaurants and some charitable organisations could unite and launch a publicity campaign to ask the general public to champion houselessness, hunger and care for animals.
2. We see these every day on the streets but no-one knows what to do or who to contact and a poor person stays on the streets a day longer when there is in fact a generous soul nearby who would take them to a home or buy them a meal.
3. I would love to pay 2x for every meal I ate if it meant someone was not going to be hungry that day.
4. People could request a pack of visiting cards and leave them with persons they see on the road who would be told to "call this number" to know more about or to be moved when they decide to go. Homeless people and those who hock or beg cannot be forced to move but they need to be educated on their options.
5. The same visiting cards can be given to restaurants who would like to opt in for this "pay a meal forward" scheme and share it with their patrons as well.
6. Videos can be made encouraging people to volunteer on offline drives to bring in homeless people to shelters, scout the streets looking for distressed animals and humans.
7. Police and other civil servants can be made aware of these campaigns
8. support hotlines can be made in each city.

Various Causes

Child Abuse - Awareness and Prevention*

1. There's all kinds of depraved and deranged out there and one of the most heinous of crimes is the sexual abuse of a child, which in some cases is repeated over years.
2. We cannot begin to imagine the trauma a victim goes through, especially when they are not mature enough to understand what's going on or able to put an end to it.
3. Very often its a relative or a friend of the family and threats are made not to reveal the perpetrator. As my friend implores, we have a Duty To Our Children, so make a PACT to #ProtectAChildToday.
4. Sexual exploitation of adults is another form and it goes on at work, in industry, in families too.
5. Domestic violence is another kind of abuse. Men have been known to beat their wives, even while pregnant, and in the case of kids coming to the mother's defense, the children too.
6. I beg to ask, where does the depravity and the pent up frustration or lack of self esteem come? I've explored more on this theme in my poems miscreants and beaten.
7. Mystic River talks about an adult whose entire life was shattered because of repeated abuse as a 10 year old. Score one for the dark forces.
8. Society for the large part turns a blind eye while victims lives are reduced to ruins.
9. I tried setting up a desk for abuse 2 years ago when #metoo kicked up something a little close to home.
10. Check back to this page for resources, links to champions - both individuals and organizations.
11. Learn about the signs of abuse among children and for heavens sakes do not sit by if you can prevent an episode from taking place / continuing.
12. For more resources, you may refer to the Spanda Foundation's Resources Page

• Writeup by Imran, 31 Aug 2020

Helping People find Shelter Homes*

1. In the last 10 years, 50 shelter homes have been setup across Chennai to provide a place to stay for the homeless from the streets.
2. If you find someone on the road who is having a handicap / suffering from mental illness / sleeping on the streets / begging, kindly speak to them and ask if they would like to be taken to the nearest shelter where they will be given accommodation, access to toilet and bathing facilities and 3 good meals per day?
3. If they are willing, go onto yieldmore.org/data/chennai-shelters/ , find the nearest one and call them. Give them the location and name of the person you are helping and send a photo to them as well. If possible, wait until they are collected. Make a note of their name so you can follow up on their condition in the coming months.
4. It could be an elderly person that reminds you of your parents or grandparents. It could be someone handicapped who reminds you of a classmate. Whatever the age or problem of the person, try and feel sympathy to their condition and help them as best you can.
5. If you do not have the time to help, do click a photo and send it to Imran at +919841223313 and we can track the location from the GPS coordinates embedded in the image file.
6. To raise awareness<, Please share this with any Churches, Mosques, Temples, Residential Associations, NGOs and friends
7. Some volunteers, led by Saify Saraiya on +919884087860 are undertaking to create a bonding with the inmates of 50 shelters across Chennai and the volunteers can try and help them feel better, get rehabilitated, trained with some skill and find them a livelihood where they can become contributing members to society.
8. Card to be given to Homeless to make the next citizen aware in case they ae unable to convince them or coordinate their pickup.

• Details of shelter homes to be found here.
• Writeup by Imran, 2020