The Write Space: Pure and simple, Willing Hearts!

Monday, November 25, 2013

Pure and simple, Willing Hearts!

Tucked quietly away in Genting Lane is an unassuming kitchen with big, big hearts! Thanks to my good friend who recommended me here.

Willing Hearts is a soup kitchen ran by founder, Uncle Tony, and is genuinely a place that epitomises generosity. During my visit there two weeks back, I was so overwhelmed with his concept of 'give, give, give'. Not a word of scrimp or save for the less fortunate at all, on a daily basis, Willing Hearts prepares approximately 3,000 lunch packets to be delivered islandwide. The figure is just an estimate as no one really knows how many packets of lunch are despatched daily. Anyone in real need, will get the food. No need for numbers, just a big heart.

To ensure food safety, the kitchen is kept super clean! Volunteers handling food will have to wear gloves, and even with the amount of volunteers going in, out and about, I'm impressed how all the volunteers work together to keep it clean. Imagine the logistic nightmare!

This soup kitchen totally has an open door policy. Volunteers can come in any time, and get down to work in anything that you are comfortable with. No need for pre-registration, notice or anything of sorts. Just walk in and get working.

So, my first time at the soup kitchen went like a kitchen trainee. It was kind of awkward when I exited the lift to be greeted with a totally stranger environment, so I just helped in whatever task I saw, which was to help repackage buns. After washing my hands and putting on gloves, I joined a few other volunteers in repackaging buns from pack of 4s into 2s. After which, getting slightly more familiar with the environment, I moved about 3 metres further into the kitchen to help pack lunch! Sounds like a corporate ladder isn't it? But really, there is no rules at all in this friendly kitchen, just do what you know, what you can, or learn!

I started by helping in 'supply chain management', sending the completed packs over to the despatch area at suitable intervals. Later on I started serving the dishes until the workstation I was helping had 'closed' for the day. After which it was just trying to 'get a job' in the kitchen. Asked around, everywhere seemed fine as WH was filled with volunteers on weekends. Finally 'got a job' in cracking, whisking and subsequently cooking omelette.

I must say it was a fun experience for me to join in food production of such massive scale. I will be back definitely and I hope all of you will make time to go and help out. It does not have any rest day in a year at all as Uncle Tony believes that if we need to eat daily, so do the needy!

Before I end off, I am slightly disgruntle today as WH's website got hacked. Come on. A harmless and innocent organisation that oversees the wellness of 3,000 beneficiaries. It's like hunting a lion with a guide at a game safari. Shame on you.