A new charity initiative, named If You Have Given has already been gathering its fans in Sofia. The name of the initiative comes from the lyrics of a song going like that: "If you have given even a single piece of bread to the hungry, you have not lived in vain". The idea belongs to restaurant owner Stefan Cholakov, who says that it is a crime to throw away the food left at the end of the working day. The staggering view of a man, looking for food in a dumpster made him think that even one person fed up daily would still be a good achievement. Thus each evening the man gives food to elderly people, also homeless and unemployed ones. He has provided a fridge showcase in front of his restaurant where neighbors leave food, helping the hungry. The showcase was named Help Corner by Stefan. Now mothers often come here along with their kids, in order to bring homemade pies. Stefan Cholakov says the idea has attracted lots of public attention and the number of donators has multiplied:

“Three months ago I had to throw away several meals while cleaning the kitchen. I swore back then that it would never happen again. On one hand it was because I have the respect for my labor and the finest products that I always pick up. So, I decided to gift the food instead of throwing it away and I suggested friends from the social networks to propose persons, needing help. An elderly woman, living with less than EUR 100 per month was the first one – she had paid her bills and had been starving for three days. Then other people started to come after 8 pm. Rumor spread across the neighborhood for the charity initiative and neighbors began to bring more food. At one point we gathered so much that we chose to give it away to homes for disabled people, in order not to spoil it. It was obvious that the initiative was expanding and we had to put a fridge, where one could place food even after the end of the restaurant’s working hours. We do feel good when we do something good. I work in a prestigious Sofia neighborhood and many of the donators are respected experts – doctors, traders, land owners etc. Common people also help – the financial status is not a criterion for the good in people,” Stefan Cholakov points out.

Over those three months of the charity action Stefan has noticed that the financial state of those in need has changed. Some of the poor people have managed to find a job and now they are the ones to donate food. Thus the number of donators expands.

“No one of us can say that times of trouble will never come into our life. Even active people need help at some point. Unfortunately the social system tries to put an idea into our heads – that we have to live as individuals and in a state of constant competition. I think that the society can take care of its members. If we take care of each other and especially of the weaker ones, then we will live better and will be stronger. So far our charity takes place outside the law, I admit – the state cannot impose a 20 percent tax on anything donated. We do not report our donations and we don’t see a point in establishing some organization. Thus we will remain a group of people, united online and helping with whatever they can. We outnumber 20,000 now. Anyone, who takes some meal to a disabled person, becomes a part of the initiative…”

English version: Zhivko Stanchev