ST Causes Week 2019: Grocery shopping trips teach kids about nutrition, budgeting

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Local charity Children's Wishing Well's Fresh programme organises weekly supermarket trips, where volunteers go grocery shopping with children from low-income or disadvantaged families.
Mewah employee and volunteer Charen Lim helping Clementi Primary School pupil Muhammad Khairunnas, 12, choose groceries at Sheng Siong supermarket in Clementi earlier this month. The Fresh programme by Children's Wishing Well organises weekly superma
Mewah employee and volunteer Charen Lim helping Clementi Primary School pupil Muhammad Khairunnas, 12, choose groceries at Sheng Siong supermarket in Clementi earlier this month. The Fresh programme by Children's Wishing Well organises weekly supermarket trips, pairing volunteers with children from low-income or disadvantaged families. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

Armed with $30 worth of supermarket vouchers, 12-year-old Muhammad Khairunnas wandered around the Sheng Siong mart picking out groceries.

It was part of local charity Children's Wishing Well's Fresh programme, which organises weekly supermarket trips, pairing volunteers with children from low-income or disadvantaged families. Each trip has 15 to 40 children, of ages seven to 13.

Fresh groceries for Every Student's Home (Fresh) started in August last year, replacing the charity's previous initiative of packing and delivering groceries to families.

"We found that many families were not using the food or didn't like the items, or the children were still going hungry. Volunteers also felt it was not meaningful enough," said Children's Wishing Well chief executive officer Joanna Tan.

Fresh focuses on empowering the children with budgeting, healthy eating and decision-making skills.

"We try to give each child the opportunity to go on the shopping trip at least once a month," said Ms Tan. Through the trips, children learnt not to blow their budget on chocolates or cup noodles, but pick healthier options like brown rice, yogurt or milk, she added.

Khairunnas picked out instant coffee for his father, carrots for his mother, milk for his brothers, and bananas for himself.

He was aided by Ms Charen Lim, 33, a senior documentation executive at Mewah, an agriculture business firm that sponsored the day's shopping. Ms Lim, one of 22 employees who came along as volunteers, guided him on choosing cheaper brands that fit the budget, and deciding what were "must buy" and "want to buy" items.

The trips are mostly funded by corporate sponsors, whose employees also help the children shop.

Next year, Fresh plans to reach about 400 children, up from 240 now, by expanding the number of areas it serves from three currently to seven, said Ms Tan.

"The children learn about nutrition, budgeting and decision making. These are skills that will have a broader impact on their lives even after the groceries have run out."

To find out more, go to www.wishingwell.org.sg/ or e-mail info@wishingwell.org.sg

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 17, 2019, with the headline Grocery shopping trips teach kids about nutrition, budgeting. Subscribe