Hunger Free Day · every year on 10.10

No one in India should sleep hungry.

Since 2010, Hunger Free India Foundation has brought students, volunteers and neighbourhoods together to share food, stop waste and reach the people who need it most, one meal at a time.

Founded

2010, Chennai

Founder

Sarathbabu Elumalai

Our promise

Each one, Feed one

Volunteers holding a large banner reading 10-10 Hunger Free Day, with placards in Tamil
A volunteer serving a meal to children

Each one, Feed one. பசியில்லா இந்தியா. 10.10 · Hunger Free Day. Let the food we waste go to the needy. Since 2010

Our mission

Hunger is rarely about too little food. It is about food that never reaches people.

We close that gap in three ways: meals for today, awareness that stops waste, and opportunity so families can feed themselves tomorrow.

Volunteers serving a hot meal to children and women seated in rows on the floor

01 · Feed

Meal drives where hunger is real

Volunteers bring warm food, and dignity, to families, children and the elderly in underserved neighbourhoods.

02 · Educate

Young people who respect food

Awareness programmes in schools and colleges that end waste and turn students into changemakers.

03 · Empower

Work that puts food on the table

Inclusive employment for marginalised communities, because the lasting answer to hunger is a family that can feed itself.

Our story

Born from hunger.
Built to end it.

Sarathbabu Elumalai seated among hundreds of school students giving a thumbs up

Sarathbabu Elumalai with students at a school awareness programme.

  1. Chennai

    A childhood that knew hunger

    Sarathbabu Elumalai grew up in a slum in Chennai, where his mother sold idlis to raise the family. He learned early what an empty plate feels like.

  2. BITS Pilani · IIM Ahmedabad

    Education opened the door

    Through school and sheer determination he made it to BITS Pilani, and then to IIM Ahmedabad for his MBA.

  3. 2006 · FoodKing

    Choosing to build, not to be hired

    Instead of a corporate career, he chose entrepreneurship and founded FoodKing, a catering business, in 2006.

  4. 2010 · Hunger Free India

    A promise to feed others

    In 2010 he launched Hunger Free India Foundation, so that no child would have to grow up the way he did. Each year on 10.10, the foundation marks Hunger Free Day.

Every year · 10 October

Hunger Free Day

Every zero is an empty plate. On 10.10, we fill them.

Volunteers, students and communities come together on beaches, in schools and on the streets for rallies, awareness drives and meal distributions. One day a year, the whole movement shows up at once.

01

Feed one

Share a meal with one person who needs it. That is the whole idea.

02

Waste none

Cook what you need, finish your plate, and pass surplus on before it spoils.

03

Bring your people

Organise a 10.10 drive at your school, college, apartment or office.

04

Spread the word

Share your 10.10 moment and challenge a friend to feed one too.

Join a drive

Find a drive near you.

Meal drives, school sessions and Hunger Free Day gatherings. Reserve a spot in seconds and get a calendar invite by email.

Let the food we waste go to the needy.

Placard at a Hunger Free Day rally

Get involved

Hunger ends when each of us acts.

You do not need to be an organisation to make a difference. You need one meal, one person and one decision.

Volunteer

Join meal drives and Hunger Free Day events near you.

Partner with us

Schools, colleges and companies: host an awareness session or a 10.10 drive.

Support the work

Help fund meals and programmes for families who need them.

Take the 10.10 pledge

Be one of the first to pledge.

I pledge to…

Only your first name and city appear on the pledge wall. Your email stays private.

FAQ

Questions, answered.

What is Hunger Free Day?

Hunger Free Day is observed every year on 10 October (10.10) by Hunger Free India Foundation and its volunteers, with rallies, school and college awareness programmes, and meal distributions for people in need.

How can I take part on 10.10?

Feed one person who needs a meal, make sure no food goes to waste, and invite your friends, school, college or office to do the same. Taking the pledge on this page is a good first step.

Who started Hunger Free India Foundation?

Sarathbabu Elumalai founded the foundation in 2010. He grew up in a slum in Chennai, studied at BITS Pilani and IIM Ahmedabad, and founded the catering business FoodKing in 2006.

Can my school, college or company organise a drive?

Yes. Institutions and companies can host an awareness session or a 10.10 meal drive. Choose “Organise a drive” when you take the pledge, or register for an upcoming event to see how one works.

Does taking the pledge cost anything?

No. The pledge is a free personal commitment. Only your first name and city appear on the pledge wall; your email is never shown.