SANDAKAN – Food banks have been mushrooming here over the past week, with shop owners starting to put up counters at their entrances to collect donations from the public to help those in need.
Expecting nothing in return for the kind act, owner of phone accessories shop H Tag, Law Yee Houng, said he just wants to help families who are struggling to put food on the table.
“This is the least that I could do to help people in need. We have donations from the public. Some do not even say much, they just leave their donation at the shop without question and leave.
“Then, we would arrange the food items into smaller packs, and put them at our entrance. Anyone can take a pack by writing down their name and contact number,” he told The Vibes.
Law said other than putting the food packets at the entrance, he also identifies families in need around the district on Facebook and would personally deliver the assistance to them.
“This is my first time setting up a food bank, so I was not sure how it works and how I could avoid those who are driven by greed from taking these donations.
“On the first day (last week), I just put the food packs at the entrance, but someone came with a car and took all the packets away without even speaking to us. I felt very disappointed as there could be more families who are in need.
“To avoid this from happening, I had set for people to write their name and phone number before taking one food pack for each person. I think it has been going well so far.”
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Law said that he plans to continue with the food bank if there are more donations coming in.
H Tag in Bandar Utama One Avenue Mile 6 here is one of 10 food banks that have been set up by shop owners in the district.
Law reminded the public to only take the food pack if they are truly in need of it, so other desperate families would have the chance of getting the food aid.
Meanwhile, Gotcha, a shop that sells milk tea products in Bandar Indah Mile 4, had set up a food bank, but closed it after three days when its food packs ran out.
The owner who only wants to be known as Alex said he first set up the food bank with the intention to help people around Sandakan, but the food packs, of which some he had purchased, and others donated by locals, were all collected by people in need between July 2 and July 4.
“I started it because I saw in the news that a lot of people have raised white flags out of desperation. Knowing that there may be people who are desperate for food out there, I decided to put up the food bank at my shop.
“However, it only lasted for three days as the hundreds of food packs have all been collected.”
He said he has yet to decide to continue with the initiative, but felt happy that he was able to help some struggling families during this difficult time.
Interested donors and families in need can find Sandakan food banks at: Quality Frozen Mart (Melrose), KDH Pharmacy (town), Ninso (Nasalim), and Marry Me (Bandar Utama Mile 6). – The Vibes, July 10, 2021
