Collect love to give to the needy
In An Hai ward, on the 25th of every month, the small kitchen of An Thi 2 Women's Association is on fire from early morning.
Nearly 10 female members and volunteers were busy going to the market, preparing ingredients, cooking each pot of rice, savory dishes, stir-fried dishes... to prepare more than 250 hot meals that were carefully packaged and delivered to poor workers, disabled people, and homeless people in the area.
For nearly 8 years, the "Zero-VND Meal" model here has been steadfastly maintained by the loving contributions of members, philanthropists, and small amounts earned from selling scrap metal.
For people in need, hot lunch boxes are not only free meals but also warm sharing and a source of spiritual encouragement to overcome days of struggling to make a living.
Not only An Hai ward, the "Zero-VND Meal" model has also spread to many other localities in the city. At 114 Ton Dan Street (An Khe ward), every Wednesday noon, a volunteer group of 7 members initiated by Mr. Thai Ba Huy prepares more than 100 free meals to send to people in difficult circumstances.
Each meal also includes fruit for dessert, carefully prepared like a family meal.
Sharing about his journey, Mr. Huy confided: "Amidst the hustle and bustle of city life, those simple meals are like a bridge of love to help those who still have difficult lives."
In the far south of the city, in Nui Thanh commune, the "Zero-dong Vegetarian Kitchen" model implemented by the Women's Union of Block 5 in coordination with the Charity Board of Minh Tan Pagoda has become a bright spot in social security work.
On the first and fifteenth days of every month, the kitchen of Minh Tan Pagoda is lit from early morning. On such occasions, about 100 - 150 vegetarian meals with dishes such as vermicelli, noodles, pho, and soup are carefully prepared and delivered to the poor and workers far from home.
Each member of the volunteer group works with all their heart. “Everyone is self-motivated, happy, and considers it their own joy,” said Ms. Le Thi Thu, Head of the Women’s Association of Block 5.
According to Ms. Le Thi Chung, Chairwoman of the Women's Union of Nui Thanh Commune, this is a practical and humane model, imbued with the spirit of mutual love. The Women's Union of the commune will continue to promote the expansion of the model to other blocks, and at the same time call on businesses and philanthropists to join hands to contribute to the further development of the model.
Humanity Highlight
Along with free meals for the poor, the "Charity Kitchen" model at Da Nang Mental Hospital is also a bright spot full of humanity.
Launched in 2017 by the City Charity and Children's Rights Protection Association in collaboration with Da Nang Mental Hospital, the kitchen is located in front of the hospital gate to provide free, nutritious meals to patients in difficult circumstances, without shelter or care from relatives.
According to Mr. Vo Van Duc, the person in charge of the charity kitchen, the kitchen serves about 70 meals a day and ensures that each meal is worth 20,000 VND.
The menu is changed regularly, from rice, noodles, noodles, porridge... to help patients avoid boredom, while providing adequate nutrition and meeting food hygiene and safety requirements.
On average, the kitchen provides about 24,500 free meals each year. All maintenance funding comes from the support of charitable organizations, businesses and generous individuals.
In particular, the staff of the Mental Hospital also voluntarily contributed their efforts and funds to maintain the kitchen regularly every day. The hospital also spent money to repair and upgrade the kitchen to be clean and spacious to better serve the patients.
“We assign departments and rooms to proactively review patients’ circumstances to provide timely support. Each meal not only helps patients feel full and well-nourished, but is also an important support for them to feel secure during treatment,” said Dr. Tran Nguyen Ngoc, Director of Da Nang Mental Hospital.
In addition to the contributions of doctors and nurses, it is impossible not to mention the individuals and organizations that have been persistently accompanying the kitchen, such as Venerable Thich Thong Quang (Lien Tri Pagoda, Son Tra Ward) who supports necessities and funds to pay the cooks; Thien Duyen Da Nang group regularly supports cooking utensils and provides food worth more than 2 million VND per month; Ms. Phan Thi Sau (Son Tra Ward) donates 100 kg of fish per month... All for the common goal of better care for poor patients.
Ms. Le Thi Tam, President of the Association for Charity and Protection of Children's Rights of Da Nang City said: From small kitchens in the heart of the city to meals filled with love in hospitals, the models of "Zero-VND Meals" and "Charity Kitchen" are quietly touching the hearts of many people.
Those acts of kindness are like a cool stream of water, adding faith and strength to the less fortunate, contributing to making the city more humane and warmer.
In the coming time, the association will continue to accompany the hospital to maintain the charity kitchen and call on the community to join hands, spreading the spirit of mutual love in society.
Source: https://baodanang.vn/lan-toa-yeu-thuong-tu-nhung-bua-com-0-dong-3297932.html
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