Something nice for the needy

KUALA LUMPUR: For just RM100 a month, you can help provide a poor family with some much needed groceries to cope with the high cost of urban living.
What's more, while contributing to society through the #GrocerySomethingNice programme, you will also receive a tax-exemption receipt from the Kechara Soup Kitchen Society for your donation.
#GrocerySomethingNice is an extension of the annual #SaySomethingNice programme organised by Zubedy in partnership with Kechara Soup Kitchen.
The campaign for 2017 kicked off today with theSun making a donation to provide groceries to 10 needy families for 12 months.
In handing over theSun's donation to Kechara Soup Kitchen Society project director Justin Cheah today, Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd executive director Ching Chun Keat hoped that more companies and individuals will contribute to the project.
"We sincerely hope all Malaysians will rise to the occasion to help our urban poor in this challenging year, especially since so many are having difficulties in coping with the rising cost of urban living," Ching said.
The donation of RM12,000, via theSun Cares Fund, will cover the supply of groceries to 10 families for a year, at RM100 per month.
Part of the groceries supplied include daily necessities like rice, salt, sugar, soya sauce, cooking oil, biscuits, powdered milk and some canned goods.
Although the donation is for RM100, the total value of the bag is estimated to be about RM130 or more because the supplies are sourced from manufacturers or wholesalers.
Ching said besides the donation, theSun will also be carrying advertisements and stories to promote the concept of #GrocerySomethingNice during the campaign period from now till Sept 16.
"We started the #GrocerySomethingNice last year after we donated some food. We noticed that there were a lot of parties donating ready meals to the needy and homeless, and some food went to waste," said Zubedy managing director Anas Zubedy.
"So we thought it would be better to take it up a step, and donate groceries to families who cannot afford it so that they can cook for themselves," he added.
The public can donate RM100 to fund a month's worth of groceries or RM1,200 for a year's worth of groceries for one family.
"Donations can be made directly to Kechara Soup Kitchen and they will identify the family in need of assistance," he added.
Meanwhile, Cheah said Kechara sees to 200 families in getting them monthly groceries to cover their essential needs.
"This would solve food shortages of the needy and the homeless. They can now prepare their own meals at home, and whatever little earnings they have can go for other needs like rent and medical bills," he said.
Donations can be made through Kechara Soup Kitchen Society's Maybank account number 512231-334874 with the reference #GrocerySomethingNice or #GSN.
Also present was theSun managing editor Freddie Ng.
#SaySomethingNice is an annual campaign that Zubedy has carried out for seven years now, runs between Merdeka Day (Aug 31) to Malaysia Day (Sept 16).
Zubedy sees this period as time for "truce" for all parties to set aside their disagreements and grouses and come together in this feel good campaign.