Elderly in Bukit Merah receive bento sets

Madam Sng Chye Hong, 84, broke into a wide smile as she received a bento set and Chinese New Year food items yesterday. The Bukit Merah View resident has lived in the estate for more than 30 years, alone.

She is among the 160 lone elderly residents that the Henderson-Dawson Citizens Consultative Committee (CCC) reaches out to every year for a festive reunion lunch. For elderly residents like Madam Sng, these community lunches are a happy occasion, as they usually do not have any family members to celebrate Chinese New Year with.

Yesterday, Ms Joan Pereira, adviser to Tanjong Pagar GRC's Henderson-Dawson Grassroots Organisations (GROs), joined more than 45 volunteers in distributing the bento sets. "We have been holding reunion lunches for the socially isolated elderly for more than 10 years... Despite the Covid-19 situation, we hope to continue giving them the love and comfort from the Henderson-Dawson community through these lunch sets," said the Tanjong Pagar GRC MP.

Ms Pereira also highlighted the sustained contributions made by the members of the Henderson-Dawson CCC and volunteers of Henderson-Dawson GROs during this Covid-19 period.

One of them is Madam Leong Moi Heng, 72, who on top of helping to organise the yearly reunion lunch, also cooks and distributes food to her fellow elderly residents weekly.

The vice-chairman of Henderson-Dawson CCC has been living in Bukit Merah View since 1973 and has grown familiar with many of the elderly residents. "I enjoy cooking and have the time, so this is something I can contribute to this community," said Madam Leong.