Customers pledge their rice donations for the needy through buying special rice vouchers

31 JANUARY, SINGAPORE – Project R.I.C.E’s sale of rice vouchers for Sheng Siong customers to pledge their rice donation met with an encouraging response, with over 5000 vouchers sold at all 23 Sheng Siong outlets.

The rice to be donated from the sale of the vouchers alone amount to 25,000 kg, as each voucher is for 5 kg of Nang Rum Thai Fragrant Rice. With this amount of rice, Sheng Siong will also donate 500g of rice for every 1 kg (2.5 kg for every 5 kg) of Nang Rum Thai rice donated to Project R.I.C.E. Sheng Siong will donate about 40,000 kg of rice in total.

Customers bought special rice vouchers at all Sheng Siong outlets today, signifying a successful start to Project R.I.C.E and Sheng Siong’s joint initiative to boost rice collection for low income, disabled and elderly recipients. At S$9 each, the sale of rice vouchers went on from 10am to 6pm, after which the total amount of rice will be calculated and donated to Project R.I.C.E by Sheng Siong.

Charitable organisations such as AMKFSC will receive the rice, who will distribute the rice to beneficiaries under their care. At Sheng Siong’s New Upper Changi Road outlet, Singapore Red Cross’ (SRC) celebrity ambassador Edmund Chen, with Iris Cheong and Zaleha Ahmad from the Ang Mo Kio Family Service Centres (AMKFSC), spoke of how rice can help their beneficiaries.

“Rice is a main part of the Singaporean diet. The rice will help those with financial burdens, such as if the breadwinner is compromised – in this case they are elderly and unable to work. This will ease their burden in obtaining this staple food.” said Ms Ahmad.

Besides the sale of rice vouchers, Project R.I.C.E will also conduct door-to-door collections on 6 and 7 February at HDB estates in the central, northern, southern and western parts of Singapore. About 800 youth volunteers from tertiary institutions and junior colleges intend to collect rice from over 75,000 HDB households.

Sheng Siong will then top off the amount of rice donated via door-to-door collection by donating 500g of rice with every 1 kg collected. The supermarket chain, which constantly looks for ways to help the community, commented on its first collaboration with SRC.
“We are honoured to be invited to play a part in Project R.I.C.E 2010 and would like to thank all our valued customers for their strong support in this meaningful cause,” said Mr Lim Hock Chee, Managing Director of Sheng Siong Supermarket Pte Ltd.

Project R.I.C.E returns this year with the theme Grains of Love after their inaugural event last year, which garnered overwhelming support from the public and from organisations. A total of 40,715kg of rice was collected over two days from over 50,000 HDB households islandwide. The rice was then repacked by 800 volunteers and distributed to beneficiaries from 14 welfare organisations.

2010 marks Project R.I.C.E’s first time working extensively with external parties – in this case Sheng Siong and AMKFSC. AMKFSC is also be distributing rice collected by Project R.I.C.E on 7 February in a Lunar New Year celebration, which be attended by about 300 of their elderly and low-income beneficiaries.
SINGAPORE RED CROSS SOCIETY AND SHENG SIONG SUPERMARKET PTE LTD, 31 JANUARY 2009