Food Angel MARCO CHAN

Food Security

Can you imagine having to live on a day-to-day basis in fear and anxiety that you may not be able to provide food for your family? Can you imagine going to bed hungry every night? Can you imagine not knowing when your next meal is? These are problems faced by nearly 2/3 of the people living in poor households. Despite living in an affluent city like Hong Kong, food insecurity is a growing issue experienced by a large fraction of the population. To understand how we could support these individuals, on the 5th of September 2022, members of the ICPASS volunteered at a local charity “Food Angel” to prepare meals for those in need.

Marco Chan

The Experience

Upon arrival at the Sham Shui Po central kitchen, we were greeted by a team of friendly kitchen staff. After putting on new masks, aprons, and arm sleeves we were taken into the room where the food was being prepared. Since it was one of the only two hot meal preparation locations in Hong Kong, the kitchen was relatively hot in temperature. It made us further appreciate the effort the staff were putting in to ensure a high standard of food despite the pandemic. As the food must be distributed by dinner time, about 2000 lunch boxes had to be prepared within an hour.

Despite this strict deadline, the staff took the time to explain how the food boxes should be prepared and the proportions allocated to the meat, veggies, and rice to ensure a healthy diet for everyone who receives the meal. There is also a strict requirement to ensure the food is not contaminated, especially under the pandemic.

Chan

Lesson Learnt

After this valuable experience, the staff told us more about the work they do at Food Angel. It was more than just meal prepping and delivery, it was the human connection behind it. As lots of elderly people are living alone, enjoying hot meals at some of the canteens allows them to have social interactions. We were deeply moved by how the team supported the local community holistically. Just by giving out masks and chatting with residents, joy and warmth are spread throughout our community and people are brought together.

Results

On that day we prepared a total of 2,042 meal boxes. Although this is only a fraction of the 11,000 food packs they deliver, we really hope that we have made a difference. From this experience, we have learnt the importance of not wasting food and not forgetting about the less privileged people who are living in our community. The food we prepared was not only a lunch box, it was also filled with compassion, dignity, and genuine care for humanity.