• Alarming rise in food insecurity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted Sunway alongside its NGO partners, Development of Human Resources for Rural Areas Malaysia (DHRRA Malaysia), the Food Aid Foundation and The Lost Food Project to mount special efforts to help bring food to the table for those in need.

• Public may join hands to donate groceries and essential items via #SunwayforGood Food Bank available at participating Sunway malls nationwide.

The rise in food insecurity in Malaysia is not a direct result of food disruption in domestic food supply chains but rather loss of income amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The situation continues to create strong financial tensions especially amongst the families in the bottom 40% (B40) income group.

“The global scale of the pandemic has worsened the situation for B40 households facing food insecurity in our country and has pushed them to greater hardship. From having less income or nothing at all during the Movement Control Order (MCO), the hardships faced by the B40 income households have led to low quality of food intake,” said Sunway Group Deputy Executive Chairman Tan Sri Datuk Seri Razman M. Hashim.

Standing together in addressing food insecurity

In an effort to raise awareness on food security in Malaysia and the urgency to address it, we kick started #SunwayforGood Food Bank programme, the largest food bank drive by a conglomerate in Malaysia in August in conjunction with National Day and Malaysia Day.

“It is now more important than ever to ensure the most vulnerable Malaysians do not go to bed hungry. It is crucial for us to come together to provide help to those families most in need, leaving no one behind, especially children, so they can have the much-needed nourishment to uplift themselves, and we can emerge stronger as a nation during these difficult times,” added Tan Sri Datuk Seri Razman.

Donate to help feed the hungry

Members of the public wanting to do their part for B40 families can donate groceries and essential items to #SunwayforGood Food Bank available at seven participating Sunway malls nationwide – Sunway Pyramid Mall, Sunway Putra Mall, Sunway Velocity Mall, Sunway Giza Mall, Sunway Geo, Sunway Citrine Hub and Sunway Big Box Retail Park.

Donation items are ideally halal foods, including bulk dry goods, beverage, canned food, cooking essentials, herbs and spices. Donations of personal hygiene products are welcomed too.

Donated items will be delivered to B40 families identified by our NGO partners, Development of Human Resources for Rural Areas Malaysia (DHRRA Malaysia), the Food Aid Foundation and The Lost Food Project on a monthly basis.

“The pandemic has very much worsened the plight of vulnerable communities. During the movement control order, donations poured in for our B40 families. However surplus food donation is inconsistent, but the demand for food has not subsided. We believe with Sunway’s resources, and the help from kind Malaysians, we can together solve this problem and emerge from the pandemic as a stronger nation,” said The Lost Food Project General Manager Mohd Syazwan.

Through this initiative, we hope to play a role in aiding the 820 million people across the world who are still struggling to get access to food, one household at a time. The #SunwayforGood Food Bank is aimed at collecting 40,000 kilogrammes of groceries and necessary daily items to assist those worst hit by the pandemic to get back on their feet.

“It became very hard to pay the utility bills and do grocery shopping as our financial capabilities were stretched to the limit due to the pandemic. There were times when I had  almost  nothing in my refrigerator to make a meal,” confessed Iruthayamery D/O Amaladass, a mother of three children and one of the beneficiaries.

“The #SunwayforGood Food Bank Programme has come at the right time to help my family and I go through these trying times,” she added.

Surplus food and supplies

We are working with Village Grocer and Cold Storage who will donate their surplus food to the cause, instead of having them disposed of at landfills.

Fast-moving consumer goods companies can pledge contributions as well by contacting Kishen Alex Raj at alexkr@sunway.com.my.

The #SunwayforGood Food Bank is open for donation until 31 December 2020.

The #SunwayforGood Food Bank programme underscores Sunway’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG). The programme is anchored on Goal 2: Zero Hunger, and will deliver impact for Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing, Goal 10: Reduced Inequality, Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, and Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals.