It's been more than a month since I volunteered and contributed my time to charity. It has been a while since I've been looking to adopt a charity. I've been looking to give back to society and been looking for a charity.
My sister from another Mister has looking to do the same and she found this very cool charity which is a community minimart.
We have since adopted two neighbourhoods; Chai Chee and Toa Payoh and this community minimart gives low income residents groceries.
On our end, we donate the money and get friends to help contribute. Then the organizer will get the residents to give us a list of items they may need and we will then make out a grocery list with the items needed, quantity, etc.
On the day itself, about 20 volunteers will meet in the morning, and the grocery lists will be distributed. Each volunteer will gather the items on their list. We get about 45 minutes to do that and at the check-out, the organizer will make the payment and we will then proceed to the HDB block and set up our little minimart at the void deck.
At the void deck, we each set up our tables with the items we purchased for the residents.
While we are setting up, the residents will already be forming a line. The first time I saw this, I had so many mixed emotions. I was glad to be there to help, it warmed my heart to see the many smiling and excited faces of the residents, this experience made me realize how lucky my family and I truly are to have the life we have, and it made me sad to see there are still so many people in need.
It was an eye-opener for me. I had such a feeling of satisfaction being able to do this for the less fortunate.
Anyway, when the minimart finally opens, residents will go from table to table as if they are shopping. They can select up to 8- 9 items from canned goods to instant noodles, biscuits, veggies and eggs.
We managed to serve 80 low income residents, mostly in their 70s and 80s.
To see their smiling faces and to know how thankful they were for the rations they received made the time spent that morning all worthwhile.
A big thanks to the volunteers who spent their time helping with the distribution and a big thanks to the beautiful souls who made donations to make this possible.
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So what have I truly learned from this experience?
There are lots of people in this world who live a comfortable life and some even live a luxurious life and are able to get everything they desire. However, on the other hand, there are also tons of people who do not have enough food to eat or the basic necessities of life. The poor and needy are literally fighting each day to survive.
Poverty is in many countries, striking millions of people. Many poor and needy people struggle to attain the basic necessities of life for themselves and their families. They struggle to improve their way of living. And little did I realize, we still have so many in Singapore who are struggling.
We always think the country we live in is a rich nation and there are no poor people around but boy am I wrong.
We may be comfortably living in our apartments or houses. We may not be getting affected by hunger but there are so many people out there who may not have eaten a proper meal in the last few days. It’s been more so, since the turmoil caused by the pandemic that is playing havoc in the lives of millions of people from all around the world.
Life is not kind to all of us. We won’t be able to help everyone in need, but our gesture, no matter how small, will definitely make a difference.
We are all in this together. We all can do our bit. Let's feed the hungry and help the less fortunate among us. Together we can make this world a better place. I know we can.
These poor people cannot improve their standard of life on their own and if we have the power to help them make their life somewhat more comfortable, why not? We cannot make their lives a lavish one but can at least help them to achieve the basic essentials of life.
Helping the poor and needy people is a good deed and a noble aim. And there are many ways that we can utilize or contribute towards the cause of further eliminate poverty around the world.
For one; we can use social media as it has become one of the most used, and also the easiest and quickest way to spread the word. By the use of social media, we can raise our voices and create awareness about issues and get a helping hand in any short periods of time.
Secondly, you can raise awareness. If you are aware of issues relating to the poor, you can use your information to raise the awareness to those around you. If you care about the poor and needy people, you can be sure that other people do too, but may just be unaware of how they can help. So share your information and start raising awareness.
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We must never look for a reason to help others.
Self-satisfaction makes life worth living. Each person may have a different need in his/her life. While some yearn for success, some don’t have the most basic amenities such as a shelter or enough food to eat. But that’s not all; some people may be in need of mere affection, those who are longing to see smiles.
We are lucky to be living a comfortable, happy life. How good would it be if we try to bring smiles to those sad faces?
Generosity is an easy doable exercise. Helping others is a blessing in disguise because when we help others to grow; we grow in the process too. It adds value and meaning to our lives.
Helping others is not always about giving them money or material things. Some people just need a shoulder to cry on or some good advice. And you don’t necessarily have to be friends with someone to be there for them. This is simply about being human and caring about other people’s well-being.
It really doesn’t matter who you are or how much you have to offer. Be kind just for the sake of it and expect nothing in return.
Helping others should come naturally and it should never be a question of 'why should I do it?'
A little help with a little smile gives meaning to human life. Happiness doesn't result from what we get, but what we give. And if we are lucky enough to be able to afford it, why shouldn't we try to help others?
As Mahatma Gandhi once said, "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."
I sure am looking forward to the next round of our minimart charity that will be taking place the first week of January 2023. So if you would like to contribute to this course, whether it is $5 or $10 or even $1, please contact me for more details.
