C says:
I've been meaning to get involved in volunteering
efforts for some time now, but alas, most initiatives (understandably) involve
working with children. For those who know me, saying that I'm not good with
children is somewhat of an understatement.
Which is why I got excited when I read about
Willing Hearts a couple of months ago - a non-profit 'soup kitchen' whose
mission statement is to "provide daily meals and other support services to
the underprivileged, the needy, and other marginalized members in Singapore,
and to assist and guide them towards rehabilitating and reinstating themselves
as useful members of our society". To me, the only way for volunteering
efforts to be sustainable is to do something that you enjoy/believe in, so what
better way for me/atetoomuch than to work with food?!
A quick check of their website told me
everything I needed to know - the kitchen operates daily, 365 days a year, from
6 am to around 4 pm. If, like me, you're interested in kitchen prep work, you need to
get there early to help with the meals for the day. Otherwise, you can also
offer your services to pack the food into containers for delivery, or even to
help out with deliveries later in the morning/afternoon. Large groups like
corporate teams need to inform them in advance of their visit, just so they're
prepared, but individuals can just show up to lend a helping hand.
Y and I decided to go together so that we wouldn't be alone and clueless on our first foray there. We got there at 7 and spent a very enjoyable few
hours washing and cutting copious amounts of radishes. The camaraderie in the
place is infectious - we happened to be there with a large group from Marina Bay
Sands, and though it was the first time for most of us, everyone got into the
swing of things very quickly.
It's heartwarming to see small groups of retirees showing up together, and even groups of schoolchildren were there packing mandarin
oranges. I left promising to return soon. Given that the bulk of the
kitchen work is done in the morning, and depending on how much I want to contribute on a particular day, I can either take a morning off work, or just get in to work a little later than usual. Yes, I do have to wake up extra early and drive
to MacPherson, but I figure it's the least I can do.
A says:
So proud of you. You go, girl!
A says:
So proud of you. You go, girl!
Willing Hearts
50 Genting Lane
#04-06 Cideco Building
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