The social enterprise eatery employed and trained those with special needs to be able to cook, serve food and develop social skills in a safe environment. However, it closed its physical premises last year after the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted its business and the lease expired.
It now only takes online orders, and MIJ has also since set up a stall at the Methodist Girls’ School canteen.
Mdm Faraliza then came up with The Takeout Campaign in October 2020. Her team initially conducted a survey among their lower-income students and discovered that many only had one meal a day.
To her dismay, she also realised that these families treated instant noodles, which were cheap and easy to make, as a staple food.
“That’s how the campaign came about. I have experienced that moment,” she added. “Finances were tight; food was not great. We can’t eat outside, we can’t eat good food.”
MIJ then began delivering meals up to three times a week and received good feedback. Mdm Faraliza said that some families kept packets of food to eat at night.
“Some of them even commented that (when they see) our employees with special needs deliver the food to them, they’re inspired that their own child will be able to contribute back to the community,” she added.
Up until the end of last year, MIJ had raised about S$200,000 and delivered more than 22,000 meals. The company then fell short of funds and gradually cut its delivery frequency to once a month.
Earlier this year, it turned to fundraising campaign platform GIVE.asia to fund The Takeout Campaign. It has raised about S$21,000 so far which covers iftar meals for the whole month of Ramadan.
Last weekend saw MIJ employees and volunteers from various organisations, like the Singapore Management University, get together to help prepare the meals.
Mr Hamizul Hakim Muhammad, 27, has been a part of The Takeout Campaign since its launch three years ago. He oversees a group of about 60 youth volunteers from Masjid Al Abdul Razak, a mosque located several minutes from MIJ Hub’s current premises.
“I think it’s a way to contribute to the community and help out during Ramadan,” said Mr Hamizul.