Located at Block 13 Old Airport Road, the store is a new community shop set up by charity Food from the Heart, where the needy can get their food - ST Photo
Even as supplies fly off the shelves at supermarkets across the island, one store in Mountbatten remained well stocked with provisions on Saturday morning (8 Feb 2020) - despite patrons having to pay nothing for their purchases. Located at Block 13 Old Airport Road, the store is in fact a new community shop set up by charity Food from the Heart, where the needy can get their food. Carrying only donated goods on its shelves, the store opened on Saturday (8 Feb 2020) and is expected to benefit 500 needy households from the Mountbatten and MacPherson neighbourhoods.
At this store, which is the first of its kind here, beneficiaries can choose up to 12 items a month, "purchasing" them by scanning their beneficiary cards at the counter of the store, which is manned by volunteers. This system will also allow the charity to collect data on dietary preferences of its beneficiaries under a year-long study, targeted at developing a smarter food donation system. Members of the public seeking to donate food can also drop their food items off in a food drop box at the store, rather than having to go to the charity's warehouse.
In some cases, he said, noodles and cooking oil have also been donated to elderly who are unable to cook, resulting in it going to waste. The community shop resolves some of these problems (as) beneficiaries can collect what they need, when they need them.
At this store, which is the first of its kind here, beneficiaries can choose up to 12 items a month, "purchasing" them by scanning their beneficiary cards at the counter of the store, which is manned by volunteers. This system will also allow the charity to collect data on dietary preferences of its beneficiaries under a year-long study, targeted at developing a smarter food donation system. Members of the public seeking to donate food can also drop their food items off in a food drop box at the store, rather than having to go to the charity's warehouse.
In some cases, he said, noodles and cooking oil have also been donated to elderly who are unable to cook, resulting in it going to waste. The community shop resolves some of these problems (as) beneficiaries can collect what they need, when they need them.
Kindness Mart, a social enterprise is an online grocer. When customers buy any item from the online store, the money goes to helping needy families
Kindness Mart, a social enterprise is an online grocer that sells more than 140 brands of food & drink items, toiletries, household supplies, etc. When customers buy any item from the online store, the money goes to helping needy families. Mr Steven Goh, 40, its founder and managing director, said: “All of the proceeds are used to support the disadvantaged and needy, to pay the bills that they are unable to settle on their own.” This charitable mission of Kindness Mart sets it apart from other online grocers.
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PARK $2 Project (P2P) a social enterprise group with the objective of helping needy families in Singapore
PARK $2 Project (P2P) a social enterprise group called out to its fellow volunteers thru their facebook page on 8 Feb 2020 and accumulated close to S$10,000 within a day, allowing more than 200 needy families to secure food staples and cleaning agents in the form of goodie bags.
All these and various other initiatives as well as unsung neighbourhood heroes happening all over Singapore is a heart warming assurance that Singaporeans have the ability to care for the people around them and it shows a strong social resilience for Sigaporeans to get through this crisis together.
All these and various other initiatives as well as unsung neighbourhood heroes happening all over Singapore is a heart warming assurance that Singaporeans have the ability to care for the people around them and it shows a strong social resilience for Sigaporeans to get through this crisis together.
Source: Straits Times article on 8 Feb 2020: "Store in Mountbatten HDB estate opens, where needy can get free groceries"
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