Looking to do more for society? Do something meaningful with your time and earn karma points by volunteering at these social enterprises. Don’t worry if you’re not a chef – these positions don’t require experience in the kitchen!
If you’ve got a special skill like photography or marketing, some of them are also looking for skill-based volunteers. Alternatively, you can also donate to support these causes. Your contribution, no matter how small, will be appreciated by the underprivileged in Singapore.
1. Willing Hearts
Talk about social kitchens to volunteer at, and Willing Hearts will probably come to mind. For the uninitiated, Willing Hearts is an organisation that prepares and distributes 5,000 meals across Singapore for the underprivileged.
You can volunteer as general volunteers, assisting in meal preparation, packing, cleaning, and ad-hoc tasks such as gardening and house-keeping. Alternatively, those with a valid driving licence and their own car can also help to deliver meals island-wide. Every hand makes a difference.
The kitchen operates daily from 5am to 5pm. Individuals and groups of less than 4 people can walk in. For meal deliveries, you’ll need to arrive at the premises between 7am and 9am. Do note that the minimum commitment is 4 hours.
Volunteers aged 5 and above are welcome, but those aged 5 to 12 need adult supervision. The dress code requires comfortable casual clothing and closed-toe and non-slip shoes for safety.
For more information, visit willinghearts.org.sg/volunteer
2. Dignity Kitchen
Here’s one that’s halal-certified. Dignity Kitchen is like your usual hawker, with a variety of local fare such as wanton mee, claypot rice, rojak, lontong, and nasi padang. The factor that makes it special is that each of the 7 stalls is run by the differently-abled and disadvantaged.
The social enterprise behind it, Project Dignity, takes care of employing and providing vocational training to a range of people with disabilities and intellectual and social challenges.
To support them, you can contribute to their Pay-It-Forward programme that feeds the low-income families and individuals around Boon Keng. Buy a meal for someone in need for $5/meal. Contributions can be made directly at 69 Boon Keng Road, or scan the QR code to PayNow the enterprise.
For more information, visit projectdignity.sg
Read more about Koh Seng Choon, the man behind The Dignity Kitchen.
3. The Social Kitchen
Singapore’s first social enterprise cloud kitchen, The Social Kitchen, provides employment to folks from any background or who hold any form of disability. You can support them by dining at one of its many outlets, each a tie up with different establishments like Xi Yan and Gila Makan. The latter is halal-certified and located at YMCA of Singapore in Orchard. You can expect dishes like Gila Beef Noodle Soup ($11.90) and Gila Nasi Goreng ($13.90).
If you’ve got a party or event happening, kill two birds with one stone by catering bento boxes from The Social Kitchen. There are even halal and plant-based options for those with dietary requirements, with prices starting from $12/set. You’ll have to order a minimum of 20 sets per menu.
For more information, visit thesocialkitchen.com.sg
4. Krsna’s Free Meals
Krsna’s Free Meals provides a safe space and free meals for our migrant workers. The soup kitchen invites volunteers to help prepare meals for breakfast and lunch every day, with tasks like packing meals, cutting vegetables, and sweeping the floor after service.
Breakfast shifts run from 6.30am to 9am, and lunch shifts from 9.30am to 2.30pm, seven days a week, including public holidays. Recently in August, they’ve started offering dinner shifts from 7pm to 9pm, Monday through Saturday. Timings are flexible, and there’s no minimum commitment required, making it easy to volunteer even if you have a packed schedule.
No specific skills are needed, so you just need to show up with a positive attitude and comfortable, non-slip shoes. If you’re planning to volunteer with your family, know that they accept volunteers as young as 13. Younger volunteers aged 5 to 12 will need a guardian to accompany them. It’s a great way to give back, meet new people, and support a meaningful cause.
For more information, visit krsnasfreemeals.org/donate. You can also email admin@krsnasfreemeals.org for more details regarding sponsorship.
5. Food from the Heart
Another food social enterprise you may be familiar with is Food from the Heart. It offers plenty of ways for anyone to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate. Volunteers can get involved in regular programmes like sorting food donations and packing food bundles for distribution. Whether you’re a retiree, student, or working adult, there’s a role for everyone.
Food from the Heart runs programmes such as the Community Food Pack – which sees volunteers distributing fresh fruit, eggs and bread, as well as monthly food packs of non-perishable food items – and The Bread Run programme, where volunteers can deliver safe-for-consumption bread that would otherwise have been thrown away.
If you’re keen to help out with more specialised skills, Food from the Heart also welcomes volunteers for tasks like graphic design or videography. Organisations and schools can join in too, through corporate volunteer activities or school-based VIA programmes, where students can learn leadership and teamwork.
There’s no minimum commitment, making this perfect for those with varying schedules.
For more information, visit foodfromtheheart.sg
If you’re looking to contribute groceries to Food From The Heart, save money when you shop at Cold Storage Online. SAFRA members receive 10% off a minimum spend of $80 (capped at $25). For more information, visit safra.sg/promotions/cold-storage-online
6. Free Food For All
Here’s another social enterprise to bookmark. Free Food for All is an IPC-registered food charity that aims to address food insecurity in Singapore. They provide access to tasty and nutritious food to vulnerable individuals and families regardless of race, religion, and nationality.
They spearhead various programmes like KidsLuvIt!, a monthly breakfast programme for young children living in rental blocks, designed to provide children from low-income families access to a tasty and nutritious breakfast before school.
In a collaboration with Chong Pang CC, Free Food For All also started a Community Fridge initiative, which was introduced to bring residents of Yishun fresh and chilled groceries, completely free of charge. The latter is refilled every Friday by Redmart and a dedicated group of recipients-turned-volunteers present to help facilitate the initiative.
Of course, all these initiatives will require support. You can sign up as a skills-based volunteer, contributing your skills in marketing, graphic design, web development, or fundraising, to help. They’re also looking for volunteer fundraisers to help raise funds.
For more information, visit freefood.org.sg or contact Vernon at vernon@freefood.org.sg
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