By Chen Ying (25A01C) and Choo Zi Xuan (25S03E)
Images courtesy of Raffles Photographic Society unless stated otherwise.

It was the 17th of August. The air was lively with children’s laughter as they raced around in a game of musical chairs. Parents looked on with smiles on their faces, making small talk with fellow residents. This scene was the heart of a grocery drive pop-up organised by Raffles’ very own Community Advocates CCA in collaboration with the resident contributors of Teck Ghee and Allkin Singapore, a community-driven social service agency. This event was more than just a grocery distribution—it aimed to spread the joy of coming together, as well as the spirit of sharing and caring.

But behind this carefully planned event, was weeks of effort and hard work behind-the-scenes…

The Road to Grocery Drive (get it?)

The idea for the grocery drive initially started when an organisation called Allkin Singapore at Ang Mo Kio reached out to collaborate with the Community Advocates on a grocery drive. When the teachers-in-charge of Community Advocates communicated this to the students in Empty Pocket, a Student Interest Group (SIG) focusing on helping members of society with low income, the students immediately started work on a grocery drive that aimed to help these target groups through donated food and other essential items.

The students primarily focused on publicising the grocery drive through means like social media and door-knocking to invite residents to participate and contribute, as well as logistics such as sorting the contributions. They also worked with their teachers to liaise with Allkin and reach out to the Raffles Parents Association (RPA) for donations. However, the journey leading up to the grocery drive was not without its fair share of ups and downs.

According to the members, publicising to the general school community to appeal for donations was rather hard, as most were not very receptive. The members remained undaunted by this, and even switched to word of mouth to personally encourage their friends and classmates to donate, which ended up being moderately successful. Thankfully, they ended up receiving many donations from RPA. 

Furthermore, there was the added challenge of introducing this new concept of a “grocery drive” to the school community and the residents, as most were more familiar with the traditional concept of “food distribution”. In contrast to the latter, a grocery drive enables community members to choose the food or household items that they need, while encouraging them to contribute any extra items that they have from home as opposed to the traditional food distribution where one could only take. This fostered a sense of “kampung spirit”, as beneficiaries and other members of the neighbourhood could feel like they were helping each other with their donations and reciprocating contributions.

Empty Pockets, Full Hearts

The grocery drive was set up at a pavilion near Block 323, making it easily accessible for the residents of the block. The pop-up kicked off with an hour of children’s games, a highlight for many of the families there. Hosted by the students and supported by community workers from Allkin, the rounds of musical chairs played were a whirlwind of energy and joy. Children had the chance to make new friends, while their parents had the opportunity to rest and connect with their neighbours. 

Watching her children play, Lydia, a resident of Block 323, smiled and said, “I heard about the pop-up from a volunteer who came to my house. It’s been great seeing the kids play.” Idha, another resident, echoed Lydia’s sentiments. She had learned about the event from her children, who eagerly brought home the news after a door-knocking outreach by volunteers and students.  Their words reiterated a core purpose of the event: building a sense of community where families feel safe and supported.

After the children’s games, it was time for the main event—distributing groceries. A simple token system had been set up to make sure everyone could collect items in an orderly fashion. Residents, who had received their token numbers upon registration, lined up to collect the groceries. The system was efficient, ensuring that each family received what they needed without any confusion or crowding.

Halfway through the drive, dark clouds loomed above, and rain threatened to spoil the meticulously planned event. Volunteers and students quickly sprang into action, ensuring that residents were comfortably under shelter. Some swiftly rearranged the tables and chairs, making sure that the groceries remained dry, while others delivered groceries to those who could not make it down to the pavilion due to mobility issues. 

Despite the downpour, the mood remained uplifting. A feedback board was soon set up at the centre of the area, inviting residents to share their thoughts on what mattered most to them in their neighbourhood. Coloured stickers represented different concerns—orange and purple were for children and seniors’ well being respectively, gold for environmental cleanliness and safety, and a section was included where residents were free to write down other concerns they had. The board quickly filled up, a vibrant mosaic of the community’s cares and concerns, and each sticker placed on the board was a voice heard, a concern acknowledged.

The People Behind The Drive

One of the driving forces behind the event was Ms Shakthi, a resident volunteer with a warm smile and an even warmer heart. She has been volunteering since 2016 and found immense joy in being part of this initiative.

For Ms. Shakthi, this wasn’t just about checking who had received their groceries; it was about making meaningful connections and supporting her neighbours. “Volunteering gives me a platform to come out of the house and mingle with friends,” she shared, “Even though I’m not working due to health reasons, this allows me to be productive and give back to the community.”

Another vital figure ensuring the drive’s success was Laila, a community worker from Allkin. Laila’s passion for bringing out the strength of the community was evident throughout the day. She emphasised that the pop-up wasn’t just about providing groceries—it was about building a sense of community where neighbours look out for one another. 

This approach, known as Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), focuses on leveraging the strengths within the community. “Residents know their neighbourhood best,” she explained. “Our role is to support and facilitate conversations [within the community], helping them to build a network of trusted neighbours who can look after each other.”

As for the students, this grocery drive was both a challenge and a learning experience. When asked about their reflections on this event, Celia Ong (25S03B) admitted, “It was kind of stressful at first because people weren’t as receptive as we expected when we did the initial outreach, […] but seeing it all come together today makes it worth it.” Shayna Yeoh (25S03E) added, “I’m happy because this is part of our [Community Advocates] experience. Even though some residents weren’t at home during the initial outreach, we tried our best, and I think we did a good job.”

Overall, the grocery drive was a beautiful display of the “kampung spirit” ever present in the local community. As residents of Blocks 323 returned to their homes, they carried with them more than just groceries—they carried the warmth of a community that had come together.