Food delivery app starts drive to support Covid-19 warriors

Itanagar: If you live in the capital of Arunachal Pradesh and are willing to support frontline workers in their fight against Covid-19, now you can. All you have to do is order food, eat and contribute.

A young entrepreneur, 28-year-old Longku Tangam has come up with this interesting charity drive where you just need to be a foodie to participate.

Tangam is founder and owner of APeats, an online food delivery service that is currently catering to about 15,000 people in the Capital Complex. The firm receives between 150 and 200 orders a day.

The drive, launched on Tuesday, gives a customer an option to contribute any amount from Rs 10-100 to charity per order.

Tangam told EastMojo that he had been toying with the idea for a long time.

“I initially wanted to start this contribution drive to help orphans. But the present scenario made me believe, it is best for us to first help the frontline workers, who are working tirelessly to take care of us,” he said.

“Going by the orders we get in a day at present and even if most of the customers contribute Rs 10 each we can manage to collect Rs 1,000 – 1,500 a day,” he added.

Tangam wants to collect at least Rs 10,000 a month.

“If by any chance we are not able to collect Rs 10,000 in a month, the remaining amount will be contributed from APeats,” he said.

“We will then hand over the accumulated amount to a responsible individual or society which can further divert the funds for the needs of the frontline workers,” he said.

Tangam said he would, however, hand over the collections of the first couple of months to Capital Superintendent of Police Tumme Amo so that the same can be used for the police personnel on Covid-19 duty.

“Besides the health workers, the police are also working day and night to keep us safe from the virus and maintaining law and order at the same time. I think this is the least we can do for them,” he said, adding that he has already spoken to Amo about the drive.

“I hope people will contribute as it is our role to help society, especially those who are working relentlessly to keep us safe,” Tangam said.

Tangam said his company is presently serving the customers of Itanagar, Chimpu, Jollang, Naharlagun, Nirjuli, Doimukh and Yupia and they are planning to operate in other districts of the state soon.

APeats, which started in September 2019, has around 20 young workers. The company has already proved to be helpful in providing services to the people during the first two phases of the nationwide lockdown by delivering groceries and other essentials items to their doorsteps free of cost.