Pay It Forward, a simple gesture of paying a meal in advance for a needy person, has begun in Ipoh.
On April10, some youths started a Pay It Forward project. They managed to source Tian Mi Mi, a stall at Meda Selera Stadium Perak, to help in this charitable cause with donations from the public. They convert public donations into food for the homeless.
For only RM1.60, a box of noodles will be given to a homeless person. At RM5, they will receive a bottle of water, noodles, porridge and a bun/snack that could be saved for a rainy day.
Contributions can be made through Tian Mi Mi every Tuesday to Sunday, 6pm-11pm. Donors are advised to write information on a piece of paper – a message they would like to deliver to the homeless and the amount of food sponsored, then attach it to the board which is provided. The homeless do not get much attention, let alone encouragement. Therefore, the idea of giving them a message together with the food brings more meaning to the cause. There have been really nice messages sent throughout the weeks, such as “Love is all around, don’t lose hope on humanity”.
Instead of having the needy travel for the food, the food would be delivered to them every Sunday. As of now, 30 homeless are being sponsored weekly. Those who have made contributions are invited to distribute the food and have the opportunity to experience the joy of giving. Volunteers are welcomed to join in the distributions too.
More information could be found on ‘Pay It Forward Ipoh’ and ‘Stadium #3 Tian Mi Mi’ Facebook page. You can also call 011 1278 7268 or 019 645 6745.
Susan
