Volunteers at the Taiping Soup Kitchen preparing meals for the needy. — Filepic
Multiracial volunteers’ efforts to feed needy impresses group of judges
A SOUP kitchen run by a Sikh temple in Taiping, Perak, has been recognised for its service to the underprivileged in the district, irrespective of their background or creed.
The Taiping Soup Kitchen was the recipient of the National Press Club (NPC)-Macrokiosk Muhibbah Award for July, the third series of the awards introduced in April.
The soup kitchen’s co-founder Datuk Balraaj Singh said it was an honour to have the organisation’s efforts recognised.
Balraaj said the soup kitchen was established in 2017 by him, Aileen Oon and Dalbir Singh, with the aim of cooking a simple meal for the needy in Taiping.
“We discussed for some time about setting up a multiracial community project to cook vegetarian meals for the needy once or twice a month.
“And for each year during Vaisakhi or Guru Nanak’s birthday celebration, we will prepare and serve food at the gurdwara’s open house,” he said after the soup kitchen’s three co-founders were presented with the award at Gurdwara Sahib Taiping.
“We have also participated in charity food fairs, charity dinners and other community events,” said Balraaj.
He said the award would continue to motivate Taiping Soup Kitchen to serve the community.
He also hoped this would encourage more volunteers to participate and work together in the spirit of goodwill for a noble cause.
“We started off with 15 volunteers, and now have about 25 helping out in our activities.
“Volunteers were mostly drawn from the Kechara Food Bank in Taiping, which distributes surplus vegetables, buns and fruits from a hypermarket to needy folks,” said Balraaj.
(From left) Dalbir, Oon and Balraaj receiving the NPC-Macrokiosk Muhibbah Award for July.
“They would assist in various departments such as cooking, distribution, logistics, transportation and home visits.
“We welcome donors to lend a helping hand by donating money or rations.”
He said the soup kitchen had once participated at a food fair at Sekolah Semangat Maju, where all proceeds were channelled to the school for children with intellectual disabilities.
“The food was not sold at a particular price. Instead, we asked people to contribute as they wished,” he said.
“We hope more schools will get involved so that students can learn about volunteerism and the importance of helping those in need, which are all part of the Malaysian muhibbah way of life.”
The multiracial group won the vote of the award’s judges who comprised editors and senior journalists from various media groups.
The award is given every month to recognise individuals, groups or organisations that best exemplify the true spirit of muhibbah in Malaysia.
The winner receives RM2,000, a certificate and vouchers from Tealive, Jaya Grocer and natural yoghurt brand llaollao.
NPC president Datuk Ahirudin Attan said the group had consistently displayed the spirit of muhibbah while serving food to the needy.
“We are happy to see that our initiative with Macrokiosk is helping to set off a revival of the muhibbah spirit.
“By coincidence, our May winner was a mosque, followed by the June winner being an educational institution started by a Christian pastor and his wife.
“Today, we stand in a gurdwara to acknowledge the work of a multiracial group operating from this Sikh temple,” he said.
Macrokiosk chief executive officer Datuk Kenny Goh said the soup kitchen’s efforts to better serve the community, with help of highly motivated multiracial volunteers, had impressed the judges.“We hope this award will draw more attention to Taiping Soup Kitchen so that more volunteers, especially younger ones, can join this effort.
“We understand several supermarkets and traders around Taiping have provided them with support in kind. We hope more businesses can support this initiative,” said Goh.
