The pandemic has cost elderly hawkers their income during the circuit breaker and plunged the elderly into isolation, who are unable to go out to purchase necessities. How might we support vulnerable seniors in taking care of their physical and or mental health?
Belanja A Meal aims to support both elderly hawkers and ordinary elderly citizens in a two-pronged approach through food distribution and a hawker support programme.
The project bridges the gap between the two target groups by 1) bringing in volunteers for food distribution, effectively building up their relationships with the elderly benefactors and 2) linking up elderly hawkers to programmes and grants which would enable them to refresh their business model.
bringing in volunteers for food distribution, effectively building up their relationships with the elderly benefactors
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Elderly
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
No
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Elderly Hawkers
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Elderly Hawkers
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
No
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
No
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Elderly Hawkers
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
No
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
No
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Both
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "Who is Belanja A Meal main target audience?"
Elderly
In response to "Do you think that food is a good conversation starter to building a relationship with the elderly?"
Yes
In response to "Would you like to play a part to conserve our hawker culture in a socially innovative way?"
Yes
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Love this! Good going to the team that has been part of building this and everyone else that has helped in one way or another. For the part on consulting as part of the hawker support program, could look out for existing consulting chapters in universities to take on consulting on a project basis. Good to also look for ways to attract and retain volunteers to scale initiative.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
I think it is great that elderly hawkers can get support and elders can also get food they love from their favourite hawkers. I think different hawker food can be distributed to different areas so they can enjoy food from other part of singapore. There can be more diversity in the meals to try food from other area.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
i don\'t think elderly hawkers are interested to participate or chat given that they are just there to pass time, or earn money
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
An online fund raising or even tie up with government agencies to let employee auto deduct their declared donation amount from their salary to this project. At the same time, we will need a more efficient way to rasie awareness to distribution and redemption of food vouchers for elderly. Perhaps also set up featured story about elderly hawkers and their food on social media to help boost business and encourage others to join in the cause to support our elderly hawkers. Our local food scene is now going through a rapid change as our elderly hawkers are now in their 60s and above. In less than 10 years, these familiar flavour and taste will vanish when our elderly hawker retired and can\'t find fresh blood willing to acquire their skills, recipes and be a hawker.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Great achievements so far!! A concern I have is in regards to the redemption of meals being done over an application. With the target audience being the elderly, not all of them are generally tech savvy/ educated about the application uses. Hence, it will be important to reach out and help them with the usage of the application. This can be done in face to face sessions at the beneficiaries with the help of youth volunteers every few months. Doing it frequently can help remind the elderly on the availability of this option too and also clear some of their doubts regarding the usage of the card!
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
The logistics of the vouchers and the language used on them is important too.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Have volunteers in the different districts stay within the districts to build a greater rapport with the elderly.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
I love this social campaign. In fact, I\'ve seen it around some neighborhood already! But I think the social stigma will still remain for the doners whether their kindness is really paid forward! Probably do more marketing campaigns to assure doners!
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Kudos to the team! This project is very well-thought out and team has much to be proud of. The comment section has some good ideas, so I shall not repeat them. Some other suggestions: 1) Think have to be mindful not to box elderly as merely the \"beneficiary/recipient\" which while good-intentioned, may end up disempowering them. Maybe can explore getting the elderly to give back in some meaningful ways, i.e. providing feedback to the food so the hawkers can improve their recipe, asking them to share if they know other elderly who may benefit from this. 2) I also wonder if there is room to rope in delivery riders (who do not earn much too) to share the benefits?
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Can consider expanding this initiative to everyone in need and also widely advertise such initiative to the general public in all hawker centre to increase awareness.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Look for collaborations with bigger corporations. Superb idea and as of now, a great initiative that many would support!
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
How will you ensure that the system will not be abused by people not from the target audience?
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Perhaps volunteers can also teach elderly how to operate technology, like Foodpanda, or platforms to make their hawker life easier.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
This is a very good initiative maybe the group can further bring this initiative to all hawker centres so that more seniors can be reached out in the heartland.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
It\'s a great move to support the elders to get food without going out. It would be helpful as well to open a short conversation with them to engage well so we can know exactly about their problems. From this initiative, we can understand more on how to shape other perspectives and we can share them to the government or other communities. You can make a special session like \'Open conversation with the elders\' at breakfast or lunch.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
It’s great to introduce an element of choice when it comes to offering food to beneficiaries instead of assuming they will like/take when you give. A food for thought would be the applicability of the Crumbly app which might not be accessible to elderly without a mobile device/ elderly with trouble catching up with new technology.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Your solution looks really great and solid. Just a suggestion: you can also introduce people to those Hawkers owned by elderly Hawkers and promote it across platforms. A Instagram account, @singaporefoodies , posts a lot of videos on special Hawker centres in Singapore. Those videos are not filmed with professional camera but they definitely capture the Essence if Hawker centres. This way not only will the elderly Hawkers be benefiting but it will also motivate Singaporeans to try those local food and keep the hawker culture alive.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Publicise the efforts to elderly as they won’t be tech savvy enough to view them in social media
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Maybe have a portion indication who falls under elderly or edlerly hawker catergories
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
For this project, one question that I have is how will the elderly redeem their free meals?
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Is there any system in place to keep track of popular stalls- more redemptions as compared to other stalls. And is there feedback actively collected from both the elderly hawkers and elderly about the project?
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Spread more awareness for this super meaningful project please :)
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
This is a nice idea. I think the main parts to focus on are how to raise funds from the public and how do beneficiaries redeem meals. About the latter, elderly hawkers may find it difficult to navigate apps, preferring to use hardcopy cards. Also, how do you identify who to help? Some elderly hawkers may lose their income, but their families may still be relatively wealthy. Or at risk of sounding terrible, their food may not be great and generally they wouldnt survive if left to demand/supply. How do you ensure that they perhaps tweak what they are selling to capitalise on their strengths? It needs to be sustainable, rather than constantly needing this program for them to benefit
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
perhaps you could expand further than just hawker. I believe even bigger food establishments are also struggling although it may seem local hawker are more of your targeted audience. However, it is also great to tap on restaurants so the elderly could also enjoy finer food from time to time as well
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
The consensus to aim at the elderly hawkers and the elderly is admirable, to some people, it goes without saying that age correlates with low fundamental support in a modern tech-driven world. However, if we are going by age factor alone, then there is a risk of alienating other correlating factors, this might create some form of economic imbalance if not studied properly. What about multi-generational hawkers? What about in-experienced hawkers? Albeit, your matrix does present a sort of generalised indication to include some of these outlying factors, if you did the work or plan on doing it, then kudos to you. If not, its something to think about.
In response to "How Can We Improve?"
Perhaps you can work with food establishments to find out their customer databases, and low elderly beneficiaries to benefit by introducing them to the establishments which offer meals at discounted rates if possible?
