Feeding the hungry one packet at a time
It all started in 2013 when four best friends decided to set up a door-to-door food distribution network to give out free vegetarian food to needy elderly residents in Chinatown.
Today, Mummy Yummy - which runs three food stalls, at Shenton House, Ang Mo Kio and Tampines - distributes free food at least once a month to 159 rental blocks in Singapore.
About 30 beneficiaries receive daily food aid from the organisation.
One of its founders, Madam Ong Choon Hoy, 64, told The New Paper in Mandarin: "It started when we took home-cooked vegetarian meals to the elderly people in Chinatown.
"Some of them could not even get out of their houses to get food for themselves.
"We (the founding members) wanted to do something for the less fortunate in Singapore. So we decided to give back to society with what we knew best - by cooking vegetarian food.
"We realised that a lot of things go on behind the wealth in Singapore, that poverty exists and we believe in doing good."
The four founders have been friends for over 30 years.
So far, Mummy Yummy has distributed food to 6,189 households, amounting to 14,873 beneficiaries.
About 15,500 packets of food have been given out.
Madam Annie Chan , 38 , the second generation owner of Mummy Yummy, works 12 to 13 hours a day running the business but says she is buoyed by the smiles on beneficiaries' faces.
"Our food at Mummy Yummy is for people who need it - needy elderly who come to any of our stalls get food for free."
Mummy Yummy also sells packets of food at $1 each to the needy or beneficiaries at their stalls.
Regular patrons pay the usual price for their food.
On April 21, Mummy Yummy started a free monthly buffet treat for seniors at Kebun Baru community club where over 70 elderly people are served vegan food by 30 volunteers.
Mummy Yummy beneficiary and volunteer of four years Madam Elizabeth Wong, 52, receives eight packets of food a month.
She has three daughters and her husband, a cook, is the sole breadwinner of the family.
"Prices are going up nowadays, and sometimes it can be hard to cover all the expenses. We can still survive, but we are very thankful for their help.
"They (the founders) are like family to me so I am always happy to volunteer with them."
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