Community Heroes: I keep a fridge and freezer outside my flat well-stocked, so that my neighbours do not need to go hungry

I am a mother of five children aged between 10 and 27. I have been living in a rental flat at Lengkok Bahru for 14 years and a volunteer in the community for the past five. I am also a working mother.

Through my conversations with neighbours from different housing blocks, I learnt about the various challenges that families were facing.

I heard how many of my neighbours, who are fellow rental-flat residents, face financial difficulties due to job loss or debt, which can strain their livelihoods and affect their families.

Health problems ranging from chronic illnesses to sudden medical emergencies also affect individuals and their families emotionally and financially.

Each of these challenges can vary widely depending on the person's circumstances.

They either are shy or unsure of who to approach in the community for support during difficult times.

Knowing that many of my neighbours were struggling, especially with putting food on the table, I decided to take action.

I approached various organisations for help to raise money or link us to resources.

Although there are many different food ration providers out there today, there are still gaps such as families having to wait a few weeks for a response, or getting replies only during the organisations’ working hours.

However, I believe that no one should have to go hungry for days.

So, I took the bold step of starting a community fridge initiative on May 2, 2023. It comprises a fridge, freezer and shelves for dry food.

Despite many uncertainties, I was fuelled by a deep concern for my neighbours and a vision for a more caring community.

My mission was to alleviate food insecurity and ensure that no child and their parents in our community went to bed hungry.

Since then, I have served more than 200 rental flat families in the neighbourhood, who face varying levels of food insecurity at different times in the year.

The community fridge is located along the corridor in front of my home, where I can easily oversee things and have deeper conversations with my neighbours who show up to collect food.

My focus is to serve families who have school-going children, given that there are others in the next housing block who do similar work for elderly residents.

In addition to dry and frozen food rations, I also serve the children milk and a nutritious snack for their breakfast.

They will have to come dressed in full school uniform and collect their breakfast from 6am to 7.30am, Mondays to Fridays.

Through this, my goal is to ensure that they get a nutritious meal before going to school, and to encourage their regular attendance in school.

This initiative is not just about providing food; it is a symbol of hope, compassion and solidarity, a testament to the strength of community action in times of need.

I also believe that we are providing families not only with nourishment, but also a sense of dignity and belonging.

However, setting up the community fridge was not without its obstacles.

It was initially difficult to gather a regular pool of resident volunteers to help with buying groceries, packing and stocking up the fridge, leaving me to shoulder much of the responsibility alone.

Yet, undeterred by setbacks, I persisted, as I believed that the cause is an important one and that as a community, we can rally together to do something for our neighbours.

Partnering with another organisation, and with support from Beyond Social Services, a community development agency, we managed to raise funds to ensure that the community fridge remains stocked with essential food supplies. 

It costs about S$800 monthly (including food and electricity bills) to keep the initiative running.

Our other partners are private donors and anyone in the community who contributes to the fridge.

Some neighbours will contribute rations that they do not need for their family and place them inside the fridge.

These items range from frozen foods like whole chicken, fish, prawns, nuggets and hotdogs, to packets of milk and Milo, and other food items such as dark soya sauce, eggs and dried chillies.

Mothers in the community help me with stocking up the fridge and over the year, we have gathered a total of 10 mums to help out when they can.

Today, the community fridge stands as a testament to our strength, compassion and generosity, fostering a spirit of solidarity where neighbours look out for each other.

The fridge has also been featured in various social media platforms and the English, Malay and Tamil press.

Aside from this food movement, in my community, there are a few mothers who support families with urgent needs such as diapers and milk, and others who volunteer in ways such as helping with regular food distributions.

I may have started this journey alone, but through our shared commitment to the community we brought us together, this effort reminds us that even in the face of adversity, we have the power to create positive change and build a brighter future for all.

ABOUT THE WRITER:

Marlina Yased, 46, is a community worker. She enjoys singing, dancing and hosting events whenever she gets the chance. She posts about the Lengkok Bahru community fridge initiative on TikTok @healthyyouandmelb.

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