Annual walking initiative rallies the community to stay active and give back to underprivileged families from the South East district
FairPrice extends sponsorship to provide oatmeal to beneficiaries; targeting to donate up to 37,500 bowls of oatmeal in addition to 500,000 bowls of brown and white rice to benefit over 7,000 needy families and individuals in South East District

Singapore, 25 September 2019 – NTUC FairPrice (FairPrice) and South East Community Development Council (CDC) today launched the eleventh instalment of the annual FairPrice Walk for Rice⁺ @ South East at Wisma Geylang Serai with a target to raise 500,000 bowls of white and brown rice, in addition to 37,500 bowls of oatmeal, to encourage healthy eating among the low-income. The donation will benefit over 7,000 underprivileged families and individuals residing in the South East district.

Mr Seah Kian Peng, CEO, NTUC FairPrice said, “FairPrice Walk for Rice⁺ @ South East brings the community together to promote healthy living and at the same time supports needy families in the South East district. This year, we are honoured to collaborate with South East CDC once again and extend our sponsorship to also include oatmeal in addition to brown and white rice. The inclusion of oatmeal is in response to beneficiaries’ requests for more nutritious products, which complements our continued efforts to inculcate heathy eating among the beneficiaries of this initiative. We urge the community to join us in this meaningful cause to foster a culture of giving while also staying active.”

The launch event was hosted by Dr Maliki Osman, Mayor of South East District, Senior Minister of State for Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Grassroots Adviser to East Coast GRC GROs.

Dr Maliki, Mayor of South East District, said, “As FairPrice Walk for Rice⁺ @ South East ventures into its eleventh year, we are proud to see the continuous support from residents, and our corporate and community partners. This year, we are heartened to see 640 returning and new partners joining us for the launch. We have our young participants from My First Skool and PCF, students from ITE College East and APSN Katong School, and seniors from Friends of the Third Age, Goodlife! Makan, and Tembusu and THK Bedok Radiance Senior Activity Centres. We also have corporate partners such as UOB with us today, and we are excited to share that some of the new partners joining us include Madrasah Wak Tanjong Al-Islamiah, Kurnia @ Wisma Geylang Serai and our special needs friends from APSN Centre for Adults. At South East CDC, we hope to continue the good work of empowering our community to do good for others within the community, because helping others can be very simple and through an easy activity such as walking.”

For every 200 metres of walking completed at various community activities or each participating product sold between 19 September to 2 October 2019, FairPrice Foundation will donate one bowl of brown rice and one bowl of white rice, up to half a million bowls in total, towards the campaign. In addition, one bowl of oatmeal will also be donated for every 400 metres of walking once the target for rice has been met. FairPrice Foundation has pledged to donate up to 37,500 bowls of oatmeal for the campaign this year.

Members of the public can contribute to FairPrice Walk for Rice @ South East by participating in various walking activities held at FairPrice outlets – Bedok North A, SingPost Centre and Nex shopping mall, from 28 to 29 September 2019, 12pm to 4pm.

This year, the aim is to clock a total of 65,000 kilometres by the community and corporate partners, an increase from 50,000 kilometres in previous years. Over the last 10 years of the initiative, over 1,150,000 kilometres in walking activities were recorded, which is equivalent to walking more than 28 times^[1] round the earth.

FairPrice Walk for Rice @ South East is conceptualised under the South East 5E Approach. 5E involves using an Easy and Enjoyable activity that Encourages widespread participation within the community which Earns sponsorships for the needy. In doing so, South East CDC also Enlarges the value of the giving and thus enabling the CDC to Enhance community ownership and spirit.

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^[1] Circumference of the earth: 40,075km. Total distance walked is over 1,150,000 km.