This goes out to those running Ramadan bazaar stands, restaurant owners and even those who just cook for your household.
It’s no secret that we tend to waste food sometimes, and sad as it is, food wastage has a tendency of spiking during the Ramadan season especially with bazaars and buffets mushrooming everywhere.
But instead of bemoaning our bad habits, there is still something that we can start doing. Considering the fact that fasting during Ramadan is meant to put people in the shoes of the poverty-stricken all over the world, instead of throwing away food that is unsold or uneaten, wouldn’t it make sense to donate the meals to the poor and unfortunate?
Here is a list of different locations where you can donate meals in bulk to the needy:
Soup Kitchens:
1. Pertiwi Soup Kitchen
This project hands out at least 500 packets of food to the homeless in Chow Kit, Kota Raya and Masjid India on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays respectively.
Contact: +6012-236 3639 (Munirah Hamid)
Website: Pertiwi Soup Kitchen
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2. Kechara Soup Kitchen
With a mobile kitchen van, Kechara distributes home-cooked meals to the homeless in various locations (including Penang, Johor and Kuantan) during lunchtime, every weekday and on Saturdays.
Contact: +603 2141 6046
Website: Kechara Soup Kitchen
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3. Assumption Soup Kitchen
A part of the Assumption Church in PJ, volunteers distribute food to the needy outside the Assumption Family House right behind the church every Monday and Wednesday from 11am to 1pm.
Contact: +6012 212 2397 (Alice Massang)
Facebook: Assumption Church PJ
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4. Street Feeders of KL
This group of young working adults meet up on a fortnightly basis to feed up to 300 of Kuala Lumpur’s homeless.
Contact: +6017-670 7094
Website: Street Feeders of KL
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5. Soup Kitchen Jinjang Kuala Lumpur
Run by the Fungates Superflow Foundation, this soup kitchen has branches is located in Jinjang Utara and Alor Setar, providing daily lunches to those who need it.
Contact: +603-58805027
Website: Fungates Superflow Foundation
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Shelters:
1. Anjung Singgah
This temporary shelter by the Yayasan Kebajikan Negara has locations in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Johor Bahru, Penang and Perak.
Contact: +603-8323-2451
Website: Anjung Singgah YKN
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2. Shelter – Home for Children
This charity not only runs a series of orphanages and homes for refugees, but also provides food and financial aid to families in need.
Contact: +603-7955 0663 (before 5pm), +6014-7123798 (after 5pm)
Website: Shelter – Home for Children
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3. Agathians Shelter
Agathians Shelter is a welfare home which aims to save children from the streets through shelter, food and education with currently up to 40 kids in their care.
Contact: +603 – 7954 1680, +6012 – 296 8014
Website: Agathians Shelter
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4. Pusat Transit Gelandangan Kuala Lumpur
This government-run homeless shelter not only provides shelter and daily meals to the homeless but also assists with finding jobs for the less fortunate.
Contact: +6019-232 6370
Facebook: Pusat Transit Gelandangan Kuala Lumpur
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Other Organisations to Consider:
1. Hati Malaysia
Hati is a non-profit web-portal to a variety of different charities including senior citizens, refugees, children, indigenous people and many more, where you can find causes to donate your food to.
Website: Hati Malaysia
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2. United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR)
As of the end of April 2019, there are at least 170,460 scared and hungry refugees in Malaysia registered with the UNHCR with about 43,710 being children below 18 years old.
Website: UNHCR
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In the spirit of Ramadan, we can be the good we want to see instead of being the perpetrators of food wastage.
Also read: Food Wastage In Malaysia Shoots Up From 15,000 Tons to 20,000 Tons/ Week During Ramadan