Communal fridges to help the needy

What next after the Senior Citizens' Tuesdays project?

Tampines GRC MP Baey Yam Keng is planning to place refrigerators at some void decks in Tampines North for people to contribute food to help those in need.

He said the communal fridge idea was inspired by a community initiative in Spain, where a fridge was left on a public street for people to donate or take food.

The Tampines initiative will be launched in Januaryand refrigerators will be placed at the void decks of rental blocks.

Mr Baey, who is Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth, said there will be two refrigerators at the selected void decks - one for halal food and one for non-halal food.

"The public can leave food, meat, eggs for the residents or anyone who needs food," he said. "We are basically creating a platform for people to do good. This is in response to many people who say that 'I want to do something but I don't know how to and I don't know who are the needy people to donate food to.'"

He added: "If you think you can benefit from the free food, go ahead. I think people are mostly reasonable and they won't abuse it."

Administrative officer Shirly Tan, 26, said: "Sometimes we have food lying around in the fridge that goes to waste."

The Tampines North resident added: "If we have this at all void decks, we can match those who need food to those who have spare to give."

Rahimah Rashith

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 10, 2016, with the headline Communal fridges to help the needy. Subscribe