While times are tough due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Malaysians are
pulling together to support communities with kindness and trust, giving
old methods such as communal food pantries an innovative spin.
The
#AyamWithYou Food Pantry initiative, by Ayam Brand™ and 13 charity
homes nationwide is helping charities, empowering them to help
surrounding communities that are in need.
For example in
the Anjung Singgah homeless shelter in Jalan Lekiu is leading the way
for surrounding communities by managing the #AyamWithYou pantry in this
area.
“We were concerned for the well-being of some
families here especially during Ramadan and for Raya. We don’t have
much, but they had less. We have been part of the Ayam Brand™ Community
Care campaign in the past. This year Ayam Brand™ again provided our
organisation with two months’ supply of their products for our
residents, and suggested the food pantry or gerobok rezeki as a solution
for the community. They have provided a weatherproof pantry and a
separate stock of products that we can bless the community with,” said
Anjung Singgah Yayasan Kebajikan Negara, operations officer, Encik Amir
Rudin Bin Abdul Rahman.
The weatherproof pantry is set
up outside the shelter so that social distancing is observed. It is open
to the public round-the-clock. Staff and residents update the community
about the food pantry through community groups on social media and
messaging apps, and they top up the Ayam Brand™ products daily.
“We
sent out messages by WhatsApp and Facebook that the food pantry items
are free for those who need, while those who want to contribute can add
dry foods, snacks, stationery, cleaning products and other essential
items. The residents relish the responsibility of managing the food
pantry and keeping it well-stocked. They get to practice kindness and
generosity,” Encik Amir Rudin said.
Response to the
initiative has been overwhelming with the daily allocation of Ayam
Brand™ products such as tuna, baked beans, processed peas, canned
pineapples and coconut milk snapped up quickly, and other essentials
being added, with strong support from the community.
“Surprises
have turned up at the food pantry including fresh vegetables, dates,
baby formula, diapers and Raya cookies! We can feel the #KitaJagaKita
closeness. The #AyamWithYou food pantry project has made this Raya very
special by building stronger bonds of kindness, trust and support in our
community, allowing us to contribute actively well-being,” he added.
Through
its long-running Corporate Social Responsibility programmes Ayam Brand™
has contributed more than 2 million healthy meals for charity,
providing nutritious food to more than 21,800 people from 524 charity
organisations and NGOs over the past 12 years.
This year
the brand has supported Covid-19 front liners at Hospital Sungai Buloh,
13 charity homes, the #AyamWithYou food pantry initiative, and the
Anjung Singgah Kuala Lumpur Homeless Transit centre, with plans to
support more organisations and communities.
“Covid-19
drastically changed our plans for the 13th annual Ayam Brand™ Community
Care Campaign, but we see the positive impact of the #AyamWithYou Food
Pantry initiative. It changes the narrative for our charity home
partners, from being recipients to being contributors and donors in
their respective communities. The community here has embraced the food
pantry concept of ‘take what you need, leave what you can’ creating a
virtuous cycle that is sustaining the initiative” said Ayam Brand
Malaysia’s Marketing Manager, Nathan Deverre.
Ayam Brand™
staff have helped spread the word on the food pantry so that more can
benefit or contribute, and started the ball rolling by being among the
first to contribute non-food items to the pantry.
“Starting
with our families and friends we sent out a list of necessities for the
pantry. Those who could dropped off essential items at the pantry. The
community are so willing and eager to help. They have shared the
location of the pantry with those in need as well. All of us can help
within our means,” said an Ayam Brand™ team member who lives in the
area.
The #AyamWithYou food pantry is located Anjung
Singgah, Lot 28-32 Jalan Hang Lekiu, 50100 Kuala Lumpur and at
Pertubuhan Kebajikan Kasih Nurul Hasanah No 1, Jalan Pimping Kanan, Ukay
Heights 68000 Ampang Selangor.
Be part of the movement to receive or to give essentials.
Find out more about the #AyamWithYou food pantry initiative, visit https://www.ayambrand.com.my.
About Ayam Brand
Ayam Brand, a household name in Malaysia and
Asia for 128 years, is famed for its wide range of quality and healthy
canned food that are preservative free and contain no added MSG. Ayam
Brand products are manufactured in state-of-the-art facilities that meet
the highest international standards with worldwide-recognized
certifications (HACCP, ISO 9001) and are certified ‘Halal’. Since 2013,
Ayam Brand has been ranked in the Top 10 of Malaysia’s most chosen FMCG
brands, according to the Kantar Worldpanel’s Brand Footprint Study.
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