The couple assigns 5% of their salary every month towards this initiative. “I was a heavy smoker and spent around ₹500 daily on cigarettes. I have given up this addiction and that money too goes into buying stationery and food,” says Mr. Kumar.

While they do not accept money from others, they welcome offers to help in kind. “My mother, for instance, donates mats and blankets on a regular basis,” says Mrs. Shweta Pushpendra Kumar. They even collect old, but not torn clothes, from people. “We request people not to throw away old toys. These can bring smiles on the faces of many other children,” she says.

Their initiative has motivated many of their friends to undertake similar work. Hitesh Bansode (32), for instance, a Nagpur-based mechanic. “I was so motivated and inspired by their work that I decided to do the same in my area,” he says.

Harsh Jain (36), a restaurateur in Indonesia, has also started giving free food to the needy in Bali.

Sachin Bhagat (34), a resident of Seawoods, says while he cannot cook every day, he has been inspired to donate food grains to the needy.

For the couple, this is more than a validation of what they do. “We would feel really blessed, if through our initiative, even one individual gets inspired and starts a similar drive in their area,” says Mr. Pushpendra Kumar. Their ultimate desire is to see, “nobody goes hungry ever.”