I really find the situation at the moment hard to believe. I live in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, in South East Asia. And after 1.5 years, we are still struggling with the Covid-19 pandemic. We in Malaysia must have gone through 5 or 6 different versions of national or state lockdowns over that period. And as I am writing this, our daily infection cases are higher than ever, and daily deaths higher than ever. Our hospitals and ICUs are filled up to the brim. Looking around the many countries, there’s a general feeling of a new wave of Covid-19 starting to rear its ugly head again.
Many businesses are unable to sustain themselves, and had to terminate employees. And many more business owners lost their livelihoods. Many more general workers and odd job workers just cannot find jobs. Many of them are sole breadwinners for their families. The physical and mental stress of health, finance, sustenance, food, roof over their heads have really taken their toll on many people in many countries around the world. Personally where I am, cases of people losing their minds and their lives, are rising. Suicide cases are going up. It’s really hard for many who go to bed hungry at night.
Local Guides like us can do a lot to help. One of the areas I see a current gap is Food Banks. In my country, the whole idea and concept of contributing and sharing resources is just starting up, and I am sure in many other countries, this may already been running for some time.
A food bank is any new or existing location, or office, or businesses, that can provide a public accessible place usually a table or shelf or cupboard; for people to donate food and daily needs; and for the needy to go and pick up what they need for the day. Some businesses around me are starting to enable their personal food banks by placing shelves in front of their doorway or within their premise. Any public person can walk in an donate food, daily needs items or cash, supplemented by the business maybe providing food etc, and the poor can come and take what they need. It’s a great concept and it’s not new. All around the “Take only what you need, Give whatever you can”
Whilst all these may exists, what is important is also to make their location known to everyone by sharing these locations through Google Maps. Hence this post and this effort and campaign. #LetsGuide #FoodBanks . When these food bank locations are made know to more people in the Public, these are the intended outcomes.
- The poor and needy can find a food bank near them to try to get some daily needs.
- The people who have more who are wiling, can easily donate and drop off essentials to these locations.
- As others businesses and locations see this, they may be more inclined to also set up their own food banks in their location.
- And more
How we as Local Guides intend to help in this.
- For dedicated Food Banks, add their location and update their information in Google Maps with photos. There is a category called “Food Bank”
- For non-dedicated Food banks, update reviews/photos in the location to make known the facility to others.
- Create and maintain a public shared list of Food Bank locations in each city that we can help in. Share this to friends and the needy.
- Arrange physical meet-ups (where possible) to support these food banks by donating essential items or encouraging others to do so.
- Arrange virtual meet-ups to share this effort to encourage other Local Guides in other cities to do the same to locate and document and share their local food banks.
- Use #LetsGuide #FoodBanks to share our effort online in Connect and Social Media
- Support this idea (link) to add a “Food Bank” marker description in each location in Google Maps.
Thanks for your kind attention. And let’s help the poor and needy.
==== Some recent experiences below ====
My area is still under lockdown and I was able to visit some small shops and places with small food banks
Caption Picture above: A small food bank in front of a petrol station. Almost empty. We need to make all these locations more well known so the public can help donate necessities and daily needs for the poor and needy.
Caption Picture above: A small food bank in front of a shop. A good selection of simple daily basic needs. Very apt signboard of Giving what you can, and taking only what you need.
Caption Picture above: Another small food bank outside a food shop. We need to document all these locations so public who are able, can help out.
Caption Picture above: A relatively well stocked food bank in front of a store.
From information that I can find online, I am currently building and maintaining a shared list of Food Banks around my city so to encourage others to do the same.
Caption Picture above: I am starting to build and maintain a shared Saved List for food banks in my city. You can create and share yours too
And also support this idea about add a “Food Bank” label so we can mark existing locations to have a Food Bank facility in their premise.
Come join us in our upcoming virtual meetup on 1st August 2021 to encourage other Local Guides to do the same to list, document, share and encourage Food Banks in our areas or cities.
#LetsGuide #FoodBanks