This made my day: Bugis hawker gives free meals to needy using diners' donations

An act of kindness four years ago led a hawker in Bugis to provide free meals to the needy. Now, it has turned into an initiative supported by other diners.

The initiative was born from the goodwill of one regular customer of a vegetarian stall located in Fu Lu Shou Complex, reported Shin Min Daily News.

The 50-year-old hawker, surnamed Huang, told the Chinese evening daily that a customer once donated $150, sharing a wish to provide free meals for the elderly in need.

At first, the stall would prepare 20 to 30 meals for redemption daily, but many elderly diners were not aware of the initiative.

The free meals were eventually distributed to the cleaners working in the area.

Wanting to spread awareness about the initiative, Huang put up a notice at the stall which read: "Free for the elderly." 

This attracted the attention of other diners who then donated the loose change from their orders.

Besides the customer who kickstarted the initiative with a $150 monthly donation, there is another regular donor who pledged $130 every month, the hawker said.

According to her, about 10 diners would also make donations every week. Over the past four years, Huang estimated that about 1,000 people have donated to the cause.

Her staff would also note down the prices of the free meals redeemed by beneficiaries on a form displayed on the stall, while donations collected would be indicated in a separate section.

Additional contributions to the fund would be turned down if they deem the current "reserve" to be sufficient.

When asked if they encountered situations where they had to subsidize the costs of the free meals, Huang and her staff said: "We haven't encountered that. Perhaps it's the deities' blessings." 

Fu Lu Shou - which the building is named after - are the gods of fortune, prosperity and longevity in Chinese mythology.

Every time donations are about to run out, kind-hearted customers will "miraculously" appear, the stall owner said. As the form for the free meals is displayed in public view, customers can also see the incoming and outgoing funds and donate accordingly.

Till now, the stall has collected more than $2,000 in donations.

Some elderly diners decline free meals

While Huang and her staff will inform elderly customers about the initiative, some of them will decline the free meals.

"Sometimes we get scolded," the hawker said. "They tell us they have money and don't need the free meals, and they'll go on to donate money to the cause instead.

"So, we've extended the offer of free food to anyone who needs them."

A 45-year-old unemployed man, surnamed Fan, told Shin Min that he eats at the stall every day, after his friend introduced him to the initiative. 

He revealed that his family is not in a good financial situation, adding that he is unable to work due to epilepsy. Fan also has an elderly mother who needs to be cared for at home.

To prevent others from taking advantage of the initiative, the stall only offers free meals for needy diners who order meals priced from $2.50 to $3.

"We only charge $2.50 for a packet of noodles or rice with three dishes, which should be enough to fill stomachs," Huang explained.

"If someone orders additional dishes that add up to $6, we will ask them to top up the difference in consideration of others in need."

The stall owner added that not many people redeem free meals on a regular day. But on the 1st or 15th day of the lunar month, the stall will give out around two to three hundred meals.

ALSO READ: 'Kindness is contagious': Anonymous woman sponsors 100 bowls of laksa at hawker stall in MacPherson

lim.kewei@asiaone.com