Food giving can be very meaningful in Penang
Below is a chronicle of events of Kechara Soup Kitchen-Penang Activity Center or KSK-Penang for the past 2 years. Since they gave their first food packet on December 28, 2009 to the homeless, they have come a long way. They have held charity fundraising dinners, gained support from local hospitals, officially opened a running and operational soup kitchen… and from there, are able to help more homeless Penangites. Penang is in the northern part of Malaysia, bordering with Thailand.
Do take a look at the chronicle of events below that was compiled by Patsy Gooi, Center Director of KSK Penang. I am so proud of my long time friend and student Patsy. She has indeed come a long way. She is a strong lady who heads our Kechara Paradise outlet in Penang along with heading Kechara Soup Kitchen. She runs, organizes and heads two depts. It is incredible. From an easy-going housewife with time on her hands to a full swing Charity worker of Kechara…
Years ago, when Patsy was more free, she did 10 million mantras of Setrap and prayed for blessings to her and her family. Looks like the blessings manifested as wonderful Dharma work to benefit others, gather merits and have a powerful purpose in life. She may be busy as a bee these days, but it is for others… Congratulations my dear Patsy!!!
Tsem Rinpoche
KECHARA SOUP KITCHEN PENANG
28th DECEMBER 2009 TO 31st DECEMBER 2011
Chronicle of Events – A picture paints a thousand words. All of these would not have materialized without the help and support of kind and generous sponsors and volunteers.
28th December 2009 – Three volunteers went out onto the streets at 9pm to distribute food to the homeless. Only five packets were given out. During the subsequent weeks, 20 packets were given out on each distribution round every Monday and Wednesday.
2nd June 2010 – As the number of volunteers grew, we started our first midnight distribution round from 11.30pm-1am. Previously our distribution round was at 9pm, but seeing the sheer number of homeless at midnight, we moved our distribution time to 11.30pm. For every distribution round, a total of 80 packets were distributed.
2nd August 2010 – For 6 months, every Wednesday evening KSK Penang supplied 100 food packets to the residents at Rifle Range.
22nd December 2010 – In a festive mood, volunteers wore Christmas hats while distributing food to spread the Christmas joy to the less fortunate.
31st January 2011 – A few days before Chinese New Year, bags full of goodies and angpows were packed and distributed to the less fortunate.
Our work at KSK Penang did not go unnoticed. A kind sponsor agreed to help us set up a permanent soup kitchen building. We managed to secure an abandoned building, and within a month – through the hard work of our contractor who also generously contributed some of the building materials – KSK PENANG materialized.
15th April 2011 – KSK PENANG opens its doors to welcome the homeless and urban poor. A few trickled in for registration before food packets were distributed to them.
17th April 2011 – Our 1st KSK Penang fundraising dinner was held at E&O Hotel. The Chief Minister of Penang, YAB Mr. Lim Guan Eng was the Guest of Honor. Sponsors, friends and volunteers turned up in full force to support this event.
20th August 2011 – Chief Minister of Penang, YAB Mr. Lim Guan Eng officiated the opening of KSK Penang.
10th November 2011 – KSK received a cheque from the staff of Lam Wah Ee hospital. These funds were collected during their food fair.
26th December 2011: As families celebrate the festive season with their loved ones and with good food, KSK volunteers went out to share this celebration with the less fortunate.
To date – Some of our homeless and less fortunate clients are now able to have proper meals daily in our building while some prefer to take out.
Come rain or shine our volunteers will go out to distribute food to the less fortunate every Monday night. To date we have given out 16,265 packets of food.
WISHING YOU A PROSPEROUS AND BLESSED NEW YEAR 2012!!!
PATSY GOOI
KECHARA SOUP KITCHEN PENANG
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Sounds like they are having a lot fun whilst giving out the food. the Santa Claus hats are quite a sight for people and uplifts one’s spirits too see all the red hats bobbing all over Georgetown.
Kechara Soup Kitchen really did a good job! Most of the people know us through our very own KSK! I am so proud to be a Kecharian! May more needy people have the good fortune to meet KSK!
It is such an inspiring story to see how KSK Penang grew from something so small to a force in helping the homeless and the urban poor in Penang. KSK Penang has come a long way and is still growing leaps and bounds. Great to see that there are so many volunteers who are here to help out in the distribution. Congrats to Patsy and team for working so hard!
Looking forward to hearing more stories from the North. Happy New Year!
Dear William, you were one of those who served at our Penang Activities Centre during our earlier days. Now the ‘baby’ has grown up with its own building. I am sure you are proud of its development!
Patsy like any other mother in the world loves her kids and ensures that they get sufficient food, education and a bright future. Once she’s set with that she enlarges whatever she has done for her kids and targets it at the homeless.
It is amazing what a woman can do and like what they say, “the hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world” Patsy is sure rocking the world of homeless and swithching them around to get food, help and a purpose in life.
Thank u Patsy for bringing meaning to the Pearl of the Orient!
Kechara’s outreach activity via KSK touches the hearts of many, and not only the homeless. Time and time again, volunteers participate only to have their lives changed dramatically. There is something very basic and very good in all of us that KSK activities remind us of. That is our capacity for good, and the natural compassion for others and of course KSK makes it easy for volunteers to feel happy by helping others.
We walk in thinking we are volunteering (and helping others) but really, we are helping ourselves to put things into proper perspective and to learn to be happy by doing things for others.
I am glad for KSK’s rapid growth.