Festive cheer returns to Marine Terrace community kitchen after one-year hiatus
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Ryan Goh
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SINGAPORE - Madam Chen Soh Mei, 87, got to catch up with other seniors in her Marine Parade neighbourhood when she hosted a Chinese New Year reunion lunch on Monday (Jan 31) in her three-room flat.
She was asked by Montfort Care to play host to three seniors and a volunteer, after the social service agency resumed the event, which took a hiatus last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The agency itself organised a lunch for 15 seniors on the same day at its GoodLife! Makan community kitchen in Marine Terrace.
"I welcome today's event and am very happy. The festive spirit behind this lunch feels very real," said Madam Chen, who has been living in the estate for 30 years.
Another resident, Mr Tay Kia How, 65, is happy to be visiting the Marine Terrace kitchen again.
"I first participated in events organised by GoodLife! two years ago but the pandemic happened shortly after so I have not come down for almost two years," he said.
The lunch at the kitchen started with the tossing of yusheng, followed by a bento box meal of prawns, fish and egg noodles with vegetables.
Seniors were entertained by a variety of activities, including a charades guessing game and a visit by a God of Fortune distributing red packets.
The lunch was sponsored by the philanthropic arm of CapitaLand Group, CapitaLand Hope Foundation. The foundation is also one of the sponsors of the GoodLife! Makan community kitchen.
CapitaLand Hope Foundation's executive director Tan Seng Chai said: "One of the pillars of our foundation is to help the needy elderly, so it's aligned with our purpose; building community is what we want to achieve as a foundation."
Also in attendance was Marine Parade GRC MP Tan See Leng, who later visited Madam Chen's home. He expressed gratitude to Montfort Care for organising the event.
"Being able to encourage and share a meal together was something we looked forward to and the enthusiasm by the elderly at the event today is a poignant reminder of the preciousness of human connection," he said.
Montfort Care is run by social service professionals who provide community-based services with the aim of strengthening communities.
The agency launched GoodLife Makan! in January 2016. The communal kitchen allows seniors who stay alone in Marine Terrace to prepare, cook and share meals with one another. By providing them with the opportunity to socialise, it aims to improve their physical and mental wellness. The reunion lunch is one of several activities held throughout the year to engage seniors.
Manpower Minister Tan See Leng giving out red packets during a Chinese New Year reunion lunch organised by Montfort Care on Jan 31, 2022.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
The founder and chief executive of Montfort Care Samuel Ng said he got the idea of holding a reunion lunch after engaging with a lonely senior more than 10 years ago. She told him that she did not have anyone to enjoy the reunion dinner with.
"New Year's Eve reunion dinner is a very important tradition (for Chinese families). I hope that we will be a pseudo-family to these stay alone seniors, and that the seniors will bring home a warmness in their hearts," he said.
The community kitchen was renovated and remodelled into a cafe in November 2020, with the seniors trained as baristas. The cafe works on a pay-as-you-wish basis, with customers encouraged to interact with the seniors.
