160 lone elderly residents of Henderson-Dawson receive CNY bento sets
Madam Sng Chye Hong, 84, broke into a wide smile as she received a bento set and Chinese New Year (CNY) food items on Monday (Jan 31), the eve of CNY.
The Bukit Merah View resident has lived in the estate for more than 30 years, alone.
She is among the 160 lone elderly residents in Henderson-Dawson division that Henderson-Dawson Citizens' Consultative Committee (CCC) reaches out to every year for a CNY reunion lunch.
For elderly residents like Madam Sng, these community lunches are a happy occasion as they usually do not have any family members to celebrate CNY with.
On Monday, Ms Joan Pereira, adviser to Tanjong Pagar GRC Henderson-Dawson Grassroots Organisations (GROs), joined over 45 volunteers distributing the bento sets, with safe distancing measures in place.
"We have been holding reunion lunches for the socially isolated elderly for more than 10 years... despite the current Covid-19 situation, we hope to continue giving them the love and comfort from the Henderson-Dawson community through these lunch sets," she said.
Ms Pereira also highlighted the sustained contributions made by the members of the Henderson-Dawson CCC and volunteers of Henderson-Dawson GROs during this Covid-19 period.
On top of helping to organise this yearly reunion lunch, Madam Leong Moi Heng, 72, also cooks and distributes food to her fellow elderly residents weekly.
The vice-chairman of Henderson-Dawson CCC has been living in Bukit Merah View since 1973 and has grown familiar with many of the elderly residents.
"I enjoy cooking and have the time so this is something I can contribute to this community," said Madam Leong.
She added: "Organising these reunion lunches are some of my most memorable moments... the residents were so happy singing karaoke, watching performances, and having a CNY reunion lunch together with others."
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