KUCHING: Hock Seng Lee (HSL) is distributing food baskets this month at La Promenade Mall along the Kuching-Samarahan Expressway.
The company is responding to calls for help from Samarahan and Kuching divisions. The first food basket handout started on Sunday.
“Some of our staff brought up that they spotted places with flags outside on their way to and from work. We discussed it at work and felt we had to do something,” HSL executive director Simon Lau said during the second day of distribution.
HSL is partnering with Choice Supermarket and Kota Samarahan Municipal Council for the food basket handouts this week until Thursday.
From July 16 onwards, the food basket distribution will be every Friday and Sunday, 3pm, until July 30.
FOOD AID: (From left) Samarahan Council councillor Datuk Sim Kian Chiok, council chairman Datuk Peter Minos, HSL executive director Simon Lau and employees handing out food baskets at La Promenade Mall along the Kuching-Samarahan Expressway on Monday.
In HSL’s food baskets are rice, oil, salt, sugar, condense milk, flour, biscuits, eggs and sanitary pads for women. The aid comes under HSL’s “Healthy Bodies, Happy Minds” corporate social responsibility, which is coordinated by corporate communications and human resources departments.
“We used to hold community outreach monthly under ‘Healthy Bodies’. Since MCO, we’ve redirected our funds and efforts, including using our marketing department to help NGOs raise fund,” Lau said.
“The food aid now is a direct way for HSL to reach people in need. It is said that the true measure of any society is how it treats its most vulnerable — we agree and want to do our part. Charity starts at home.”
At yesterday’s food distribution, HSL also handed out job forms. “While we cannot promise anything, we still like to collect data of anyone who wants a job. Employment is the best way for anyone to help themselves,” mall leasing manager Trish Lui said.
Present at the start of distribution was Kota Samarahan mayor Datuk Peter Minos and Choice’s chief executive Dr Allan Hon.
“Choice entered the Samarahan market in January this year when La Promenade Mall opened. We hired locals and the majority of our customers are from nearby. Samarahan has been a wonderful community to us, this is the time to lend a helping hand,” Dr Hon said.
Hope Place — the charity that will operate a new community centre at La Promenade Mall — is collecting donations of cash and kind at the same food distribution point at La Promenade Mall on Fridays and Sundays, 2pm-4pm.
For more info, call 013 836 5566 or search @lapromenademall on social media. Info also at hsl.com.my and @hslcn.
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