|
The Care Corner Seniors Activity Centre in Toa Payoh has seen a 10 per cent jump in the number of people going for its lunches, with more than half of them asking for some food to take home for dinner. But the amount of free vegetables it receives from a wet market has fallen. -- ST PHOTO: WANG HUI FEN
|
Rising food prices have prompted more people to turn up at places serving free meals.
The organisers - religious and welfare groups - say they can cope with the demand for now, though some have noted a worrying drop in donations from sponsors.
A Sunday Times check with about 20 welfare and religious groups reveals that almost half have the same story to tell.
At the Singapore Buddhist Lodge in River Valley, about 1,800 people turn up daily for vegetarian breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The temple's president Lee Bock Guan, 63, said the turnout has risen 30 per cent and includes the unemployed, students from China and construction workers.
At Henderson Senior Citizens' Home, the turnout for its Saturday lunch has risen from 60 to 100 in the last four months. At times, it has had to turn people away.
In Toa Payoh, the Care Corner Seniors Activity Centre, which serves lunch daily to 80 people, reported a 10 per cent jump in attendance. More than half of these people also ask for some food to take home for dinner.
If demand continues to rise, some welfare groups expect problems coping with it, given that donations from individuals and companies have fallen by between 10 and 50 per cent in the last three months.
The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) of Singapore, which provides lunch and dinner to about 200 children and elderly people, said donations have dropped by 30 to 50 per cent.
'We have not had a single packet of rice donated in the past six months,' said programme executive Han Shin Hui, 24. It has had to dip into its funds to buy food to cook the meals, which cost about $2 per person.
At Care Corner Seniors Activity Centre, programme executive Lim Siew Eng said the centre gets free vegetables from a wet market in Toa Payoh once a month but the quantity has fallen.
'Even the elderly noticed that the amount of vegetables served has decreased. They ask, 'Why so little?' ' she said.
Queenstown Multi-Service Centre for the Elderly may have to pay more to its food caterer which now charges $2 per person.
Centre manager Pang Kim Fong, 37, said the caterer is using less meat. 'But I'm not complaining. Vegetables are healthier. I would be just as happy if they switch to tofu,' he added.
With inflation forecast to hit 4.5 to 5.5 per cent this year, welfare groups are bracing themselves to deal with more demand for their services.
So even as they are looking actively for sponsors, they have had to make adjustments.
Mr Clifford Lee, 37, fund-raising director of Apex Club of Singapore (Bukit Timah), which distributes food weekly to 300 residents in Redhill, said the club has cut the number of items from eight to six.
The Queenstown Multi-Service Centre for the Elderly has moved some exercise and painting programmes outdoors to reduce air-con usage.
Henderson Senior Citizens' Home has switched to frozen fish. But its supervisor Catherine Tan said it will still serve red snapper fillet - despite its price - as it 'does not have so many bones'.
And though rice prices have more than doubled, most welfare groups are not switching brands.
Mr Wong Kok Foo, 68, centre coordinator of Moral Seniors Activity Centre (Toa Payoh), which serves lunch to about 50 people, said: 'They are so used to eating AAA rice; if you cook the normal grain, they won't want to eat.'
Mr Lee, the Singapore Buddhist Lodge's president, said: 'Needy people already have very few dishes to go with their rice. If we can't even give them proper rice, how do you expect them to have their meals?'
Send your comments to suntimes@sph.com.sg
Should providers of free meals use cheaper rice to cope with the higher demand? Vote on our online poll.
|
