We thank Mr Francis Cheng for his letter (Increase efforts to offer cheaper, healthy food; Sept 8).

NTUC Foodfare's Rice Garden is a social outreach programme started in 2009 to provide affordable, nutritious meals for as low as $1.50 per meal for ComCare cardholders.

Concession cardholders (senior citizens, students and full-time national servicemen) as well as NTUC Union members get to enjoy meals from $2. Meals for the public are priced from $2.70.

Today, we have 39 Rice Gardens across the island serving Singaporeans from all walks of life.

Voluntary welfare organisations and corporations have, over the years, partnered with us to fund our Rice Garden meal vouchers for distribution to the needy and elderly.

Such collaboration optimises our social impact by extending our reach to more needy people.

We hope to see more individuals and organisations joining us in this community-outreach programme.

Beyond affordability, we are mindful about providing healthier choices, too.

For this, we work with the Health Promotion Board to develop meals which are below 500 calories and which use healthier oil in the food preparation process.

We would like to see our programme grow even more, so thataffordable, wholesome food is within everyone's means.

Koh Kian Leong
General Manager
Food Services - Rice Garden
NTUC Foodfare Co-operative