Sunway Students Spread the Love with TGIF Foodbank

Donating daily necessities is one of the most effective ways of supporting those in need. The Sunway Student Volunteers (SSV) successfully raised RM3,600 worth of food items and RM1,150 cash to be donated to the entities under the umbrella of Grace Community Services (GCS).

The project, aptly called “Turn Groceries in for Foodbank” (TGIF Foodbank), was initiated by SSV and Sunway Student Services Department (SSD) in partnership with GCS, a registered non-profit charitable organisation in Klang for charitable homes, rehabilitation centres, feeding centres, rural schools, poor families and individuals.

Tan Xue Wen, Project Director for TGIF Foodbank (5th from left) and her teammates with Matthew Chung and Dommen Philip, representatives from Grace Community Services (6th & 7th from left), Jerrine Koay, Director of Public Relations (3rd from left), Lee Siok Ping, Director of Student Services (4th from left), and Jane Poh, Director of Branding (4th from right)

The TGIF Foodbank collection drive at Sunway University’s campus managed to collect daily necessities which included non-perishable food and toiletries. The collection was handed over to representatives Matthew Chung and Dommen Philip from GCS. Fellow members from SSV also helped the GCS team to pack the food for distribution to 260 deserving families. One food pack of daily necessities can feed a family for about a month.

The SSV team also rolled out another initiative under TGIF Foodbank which involved SSV members helping to pack more than 100 hot meal lunch boxes of rice, chicken and vegetables. The lunch boxes were distributed by the GCS team to the Orang Asli community in Carey Island Selangor.

After 2 months of planning and preparation, Tan Xue Wen, project director for TGIF Foodbank was grateful of her supportive teammates and the overwhelming response. “With a few uncertainties along the way, I am glad that we have made this happen together as a team. The unexpected good response motivated us to continue to try and make a difference in our community. Through this project, I have seen many kind hearted people amongst our Sunway community. I would like to thank each and every one who has contributed much to the success of this project,” said Xue Wen who is in her final year of BSc (Hons) Accounting and Finance.

Following up on this initiative by Sunway Education Group’s SSV and SSD, other contributors to the TGIF Foodbank include Monash University Malaysia, other business units under the Sunway Group - Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway Hotel and Resort Spa, Sunway Pyramid, Sunway Lagoon, Menara Sunway (Corporate Office), Sunway Travel and Sunway Lagoon Club.

The Sunway Student Volunteers (SSV) at Sunway University was formed with the belief and understanding that the spirit of volunteerism is essential in bringing continuous impact and benefits to the community. It is one of the largest and fastest growing student groups on campus, having a total of 1000 members from both Sunway College and Sunway University.