The Food Bank Singapore
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Event starts 7.00pm onwards with lucky draw prizes worth over $5,000 to be won! More info at www.augustman.com/cookout.
Project Eat Better is launched to raise awareness of healthier eating for people in need. One in 10 persons in Singapore is food insecure. Besides struggling to put food on the table, they also face challenges in eating healthily on a shoestring budget. The Food Bank Singapore has launched a campaign, Project Eat Better to raise awareness of healthier eating for people in need through a series of initiatives.
Find out more about the project here.
Founded in 2012 by siblings, Nichol and Nicholas Ng, The Food Bank Singapore collects and redistributes food to 160 beneficiary organisations that reach 100,00 needy people, including the elderly and those with low incomes.
Recently, The Food Bank launched a campaign, dubbed as Project Eat-Better, which seeks to encourage its needy beneficiaries to eat better, coupled with a call for healthier food donations. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of healthy eating, and supplement the charity’s usual supplies of rice, noodles and canned food with healthier options, including fresh produce.
Read the full article here.
Find out more about the Project Eat Better here.
16 September 2020 (Wednesday) – Food insecurity is defined as a state when a household does not have, or is not confident of having, economic and physical access to sufficient, acceptable food for a healthy life. The Singapore Management University (SMU)’s Lien Centre for Social Innovation (LCSI) recently completed the first nationally representative study on food insecurity in Singapore.
Commissioned by The Food Bank Singapore, the study follows a 2018 report, “Hunger in a Food Lover’s Paradise: Understanding Food Insecurity in Singapore”—a smaller-scale investigation that focused on 236 low socio-economic status (SES) households. The Hunger Report 2019 is a nationally representative study involving customised random samples bought from the Department of Statistics. A total of 1,206 usable surveys were collected from Singaporean households between July and December 2019, and the report looked into the prevalence, causes and consequences of food insecurity in Singapore.
Despite Singapore being ranked by the Economist Intelligence Unit as the most food-secure nation in the world on the Global Food Security Index in 2019, this study reveals a paradox. Singapore has done well in terms of achieving sufficiency of food supply through a strategic diversification of food sources; however, this progress has not prevented certain sections of the country’s population from reporting food insecurity. 10.4% of Singaporean households (citizens and/or permanent residents) surveyed experienced food insecurity at least once in the last 12 months, out of which two out of five of these households experienced food insecurity at least once a month.
According to Nichol Ng, co-founder of the Food Bank Singapore, “Food insecurity is a concern even in an affluent society such as Singapore. The COVID-19 pandemic has escalated this problem exponentially with people suffering from pay cuts and job losses. The Food Bank Singapore sees food as the defining denominator when gauging how severe someone’s situation is. We must do all that we can to ensure that food insecurity becomes history and that no one goes hungry in our country.”
Key findings of survey
1) Food-insecure households were more likely to reside in 1- and 2-room HDB homes compared to food-secure households.
2) Food-insecure families tended to have heads of households with lower educational qualifications (much less likely to have a university-level education) than food-secure families.
3) Only 22% of food-insecure households were currently receiving food support. A substantial percentage of food-insecure participants did not seek food support, citing embarrassment, being unaware of available food support and the belief that others need it more than themselves.
4) Food insecurity was associated with both physical and mental health detriments. Food-insecure participants were more likely to be in the high-risk BMI category compared to food-secure participants. Food-insecure individuals reported a slew of negative emotions demonstrating the psychological impact of food insecurity.
5) Food-secure households had significantly fewer affiliations with food-insecure households compared to those who were food-insecure.
Report recommendations
1) Tackle misalignment of food support
Geographical mapping of areas where vulnerable households reside can aid in identifying food-insecure neighbourhoods and informing food aid organisations. At the national level, more strategic coordination of food support should involve multi-sector partnerships that encompass the relevant and diverse stakeholders in the food support ecosystem. These include the government, and non-profit and private sectors.
2) Increase the level of awareness about food insecurity in Singapore
The lack of awareness about food insecurity in Singapore, especially among food-secure households, warrants attention and action. Information and education on food insecurity is required in order to cultivate empathy and awareness that this is a pertinent issue in Singapore.
3) Prioritise nutritious and healthy eating among Singapore households
Rigorous national campaigns to encourage healthy eating should continue and be further amplified. As cost was listed as a major deterrent to choosing healthier food options, this aspect should be further explored. If healthier food options do not necessarily mean higher costs, this message should be incorporated into healthy eating campaigns.
The researchers of this study note that some of the report’s recommendations are being addressed through the ongoing efforts of the Charity Food Workgroup, which was convened by the Ministry of Social and Family Development in 2019. The multi-sector Workgroup – comprising food aid organisations, volunteers, corporates, and government agencies – seeks to improve coordination and efficiency within the charity food sector. This allows households in need to receive food support that suits their requirements, thereby also reducing wastage.
The full report can be downloaded from here.
The Food Bank Singapore was started by Nichol and Nicholas Ng to tackle food waste and food insecurity. But the siblings hope that one day, there will be no need for such an organisation.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a tough time for many Singapore charities, many of which experienced a drop in donations and volunteer count. But it is during such challenging times when the work of non-profit organisations become all the more crucial.
In the past few months, The Food Bank Singapore had to step up its operations in order to bring food to the less privileged and vulnerable communities in the country, who have been harder hit by the pandemic.
The Food Bank Singapore was set up in 2012 by siblings Nichol and Nicholas Ng, third-generation business owners of food distribution company, FoodXervices. The Food Bank acquires donated food from farms, manufacturers, distributors, stores, consumers and other sources, and distributes them to charities within its member network, who then deliver them to beneficiaries.
“We currently have 360 organisations in our network. It includes charities such as Willing Hearts, the Salvation Army and Family Service Centres (FSCs) as well,” older sibling Nichol shared. “The premise of The Food Bank is that as long as you’re a non-profit with a related programme, you can join our network. We consolidate large piles of food, then distribute it to charity organisations. Through our network, we reach out to more than 250,000 people on the ground.”
Amid circuit breaker measures, The Food Bank found themselves having to ramp up their efforts. “Every day, for sure, there would be a handful of people writing in to us directly asking for food aid. And this has never happened as rampantly in the past,” Nichol revealed.
FEEDING THE CITY
The Food Bank, Nichol shared, is not well-known on the ground, as most of the food distribution is conducted through the organisation’s member charities. But when FSCs were closed during the circuit breaker, people began writing in to The Food Bank directly.
“At first we thought it was maybe a handful of people. But it started becoming regular. Every week, there would be someone telling us that they haven’t eaten,” Nichol shared.
“Before COVID-19, we would pass the details over to an FSC in the area who would do some background checks beforehand. But now because of the pandemic, we take it that no one is lying. We would just send food down first, so they can survive for at least a few days while we do some background checks,” Nicholas shared.
For the first time, The Food Bank began distributing cooked meals to the less privileged. “Previously, we did zero cooked food donations or distribution. Then we started distributing about 1,000 to 2,000 meals a day. Now, we are donating about 13,000 meals,” Nicholas said.
Through the organisation’s Feed The City programme, The Food Bank partnered with local F&B businesses to deliver meals to the needy. The programme was a two-pronged approach – while providing meals to the underprivileged, it would also help boost the sales of local F&B businesses, including hawkers, who were badly hit.
As the programme began garnering attention, the founders were approached by Michelin Singapore. The company was keen to partner with The Food Bank to provide food from its Michelin-starred, Bib Gourmand and Plate restaurants and hawkers.
“It was very heartening that these Michelin restaurants wanted to help. We told them that the budget was S$3.50, and even fine-dining restaurants like Odette managed to come up with something. We started getting feedback from beneficiaries that it was the best food they ever had,” Nicholas chirped.
More than just filling their bellies, the siblings believe that the food delivered to the less privileged played a role in lifting their spirits during tough times.
“By getting food from these F&B businesses, we can ensure that 90 per cent of the time, the food our beneficiaries are getting are better than what they are used to. Just like ourselves, when we eat things like chocolate, or desserts like cake and brownies, our spirits are lifted. People tend to forget that food is nourishing not just for the tummy, but for the soul as well,” Nichol mused.
TACKLING FOOD WASTE
When The Food Bank first started nine years ago, it was the first of its kind to exist in Singapore. Although not new in other countries, the concept of a food bank was largely unheard of here. Aside from feeding the needy, setting up a food bank where supermarkets, farms and other food producers can donate their excess food – which will then be redistributed to those in need – would allow the founders to tackle the issue of food wastage in the country.
“One of the issues Singapore has created for itself, which is a good thing, is that we are a very clean city with one of the world’s best incineration programmes. Because the cost of incineration is so cheap, many people would rather dump than recycle or donate their food items. After knowing how the supermarkets work, how food importers work, Nicholas and I just felt that we should tackle all this excess food first, before asking for donations from the public,” Nichol explained.
Despite playing a crucial role in tackling food waste and food insecurity in Singapore, Nicholas shared that one of the siblings’ goals for the organisation is to be “out of business”, for a valid reason, of course. “We don’t know when that will be, but we always keep reminding ourselves that if we go out of business, it means that there’s no food wastage and no more needy people in Singapore,” Nicholas said.
August 27, 2020 – The Food Bank Singapore (FBSG) today issues a rallying call to all car drivers to help steer towards a hunger-free Singapore on World Food Day 2020.
From October 16 to 18, FBSG is targeting to receive 100 tonnes of food donations for 360 beneficiary organisations that feed more than 250,000 individuals across Singapore.
Based on the theme “Drive Hunger Away”, this year’s World Food Day activities involve engaging car drivers and car clubs to come together in solidarity in donating, collecting and delivering food items to FBSG’s new premise at XPACE, 218 Pandan Loop.
Championed by the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization, World Food Day promotes global awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and for the need to ensure healthy diets for all.
Raising awareness of hunger issues, driving healthier donations
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a surge in the number of households coming forward to request for meal rations in 2020.
“With many unable to work and some losing their jobs during this season, the observance of World Food Day is of extra significance this year as we raise awareness on prevalent hunger issues in Singapore and ensure that vulnerable individuals and families do not go hungry,” said Nichol Ng, Co-founder of FBSG.
Apart from the usual non-perishable food items such as rice, oil and preserved food with at least a month of shelf-life, FBSG is seeking donations of healthier food items such as canned protein, whole wheat products and bread spreads.
Members of the public can make their donations at collection points in malls and Shell petrol kiosks across the island, where cars will collect from and deliver the food items to FBSG.
“Singapore is famous for great food and expensive cars. We thought it would be great to marry the two concepts into one fabulous campaign. ‘Drive Hunger Away’ was truly conjured on the basis that everyone can still take part in our food drive, all from the safety and comfort of their own cars. By using cars, the whole family can also participate together to drop the items off. Cars, community and continuity in feeding. The feeding must continue,” said Ng.
Breakfast Drive by Assure Group Insurance, Eagles Car Club, Jeep Owners Club Singapore, Outlander Passion Club (Mitsubishi), and Tridente Automobili (Maserati) are among the car clubs that have come on board to support this initiative.
Car drivers and car clubs that are keen to participate in this meaningful cause can contact Margarita Seah at margarita@foodbank.sg by September 30, 2020.
#BOSSTOGETHERSG is a series of gastronomical collaborations with different local Food & Beverage (F&B) partners in support of the local businesses and the community during this period.
Each partnership will feature a BOSS Exclusive menu that will be available for order through the F&B partner’s platform for a limited period of time. 10% of the proceeds from this menu will be donated to The Food Bank Singapore, co-funded between BOSS and the F&B partner.
The third collaboration sees a partnership between BOSS with Chef Willin Low, who has been named by the New York Times as one of three chefs in Singapore who were “reinventing the city’s traditional food culture” and also chosen by the Financial Times as one of Singapore’s best chefs.
This partnership will see an exclusive popup of Wild Rocket at Roketto Izakaya from 1 – 31 August in conjunction with Singapore ́s National Day. The 8-Course menu consists of familiar traditional favorites like Laksa, Satay and Soon Kueh with a modern twist.
As a celebration of the initiative, customers will receive a $50 BOSS Voucher with every order of this menu during this period. The menu is $150++ per person.
“We know that this period is extremely challenging for everyone and we would like to do our part to support local businesses as much as we can also the community through The Food Bank Singapore. With this initiative, we hope that we can encourage people to pay it forward as we all continue to do our little part to support #savefnbsg and the economy.” says Steven Lam, Managing Director of HUGO BOSS South East Asia Pte Ltd.
“I have recently been very encouraged by all the different collaborations. Collaborations between businesses and even industries (like HUGO BOSS and us) coming together to support each other in new creative ways and to celebrate the human spirit. The spirit to restore as much normalcy as possible given the circumstances. To celebrate little things we used to take for granted. Whether it is to share a meal together, send care packs to each other or even shopping. I am super excited to be able to partner HUGO BOSS to celebrate that same human spirit amidst our national day! Majulah Singapura!” says Low Willin, Chef Owner of Wild Rocket Group.
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If you have any questions, please contact:
HUGO BOSS South East Asia
Melanie Goh
Senior Marketing Manager
E-mail: Melanie_Goh@hugoboss.com
Mobile: 8399 5372
July 15, 2020 – The Food Bank Singapore (FBSG) today announces the establishment of The Food Pantry 2.0 in a dormitory for migrant workers in Punggol.
Housing about 60 migrant workers, the dormitory has three vending machines stocked with food items such as instant meals and hot beverages, as well as daily necessities such as soap, toothpaste and washing powder.
The Food Pantry 2.0 was launched last October 16 in conjunction with World Food Day, with the first location at Creamier’s Toa Payoh outlet.
Improving well-being and lives of migrant workers
“Since the launch of our first The Food Pantry 2.0, we have been looking to scale up the programme. The COVID-19 pandemic has glaringly highlighted the importance of having access to aid 24×7. Through the Community Foundation of Singapore, we were connected to UBS. Upon discussions with UBS, we felt that the machines would help improve the well-being and lives of migrant workers staying in dormitories,” said Nichol Ng, Co-founder of FBSG.
UBS and UBS Optimus Foundation have donated $650,000 to help expedite the roll out of The Food Pantry 2.0 in dormitories and low-income neighbourhoods across Singapore.
“COVID-19 outbreak has caused great inconveniences to various groups of people in the society, one such group includes migrant workers who have helped build and contribute to Singapore. UBS Community Affairs identified that this was a vulnerable group of people in society that required help and we reached out to them by supporting FBSG. FBSG had previously performed a needs evaluation and is providing no-contact vending machines which will dispense free necessities and groceries for our migrant workers to alleviate some of the burden that they face. As the situation progresses, we are hoping to resume physical volunteering activities and increase our impact on the community,” said August Hatecke, Country Head, UBS Singapore.
The vending machine concept of The Food Pantry 2.0 allows FBSG to provide food and other daily essentials that are redeemable round-the-clock. Migrant workers staying in the dormitory will be given a $50 Food Bank Card with which they can use to redeem items at just $2 each.
Caring should not end when COVID-19 ends FBSG intends to set up automated pantries in more dormitories once the migrant workers are more settled in their improved accommodation. It plans to procure up to 25 vending machines with support from equipment partner KALMS.
Machines deployed in dormitories will be assessed periodically and if they are no longer needed, will be redeployed elsewhere, such as in another dormitory or in a neighbourhood with low-income families in Singapore.
“We have received a lot of interest in The Food Pantry 2.0 as FBSG strides toward digitalisation. This is in line with the streamlining of efforts to increase our direct distribution network to support the NGOs that we work with. The caring should not end when COVID-19 ends,” said Ng.
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