Foodbanker Mavis explains why we developed The Food Pantry 2.0, and how it impacts people on the ground
Most of our beneficiary organisations require a minimum of two months before expiry. This leaves us with many close to expiry food items that are still safe for consumption, which we channelled to our shop previously at Sims Avenue to be sold for $1 each.
In 2019, we realised there was an urgent need to provide nutritious food and to make it easily accessible to beneficiaries in the heartlands.
The Food Pantry 2.0 serves as an automated platform to dispense emergency food aid 24/7 to those in need. Through FSCs and other social service agencies, we identify such clients and provide them with Bank Cards loaded with free credits to receive food from the vending machines.
“When you need food, you need food. Currently, most food distribution programmes take place during office hours, but hunger can strike anytime,” said Ms Ng.
On World Food Day (October 16, 2019), The Food Pantry 2.0 was launched with first three vending machines with support from partners KALMS, Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee, and Grain.(https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/disadvantaged-toa-payoh-families-to-benefit-from-charity-food-11973114).
This programme will be further expanded to include cooked meals to be dispensed through vending machines from our new central kitchen in 2021.
