After the exciting charity drive held on Father’s Day, the kindergarteners extended their efforts outside of school. They volunteered at the Soup Kitchen in Willing Hearts. Prior to this community involvement, children were briefed about what the organization, Willing Hearts did, and how its Soup Kitchen prepares food for residents in need. The children asked if they too, could help out at the Soup Kitchen, so that less people will go hungry. Evidently, children were sparked with curiosity and interest towards the significance and nobility of non-profitable organizations in Singapore. When the children arrived at the Soup Kitchen, they observed the environment and described inferentially about the functions of each part of the premise. They worked in small groups around the tables where the lunch boxes were laid out. After a brief demonstration by a volunteer, each child conscientiously worked on pasting stickers on the lunch boxes. Our children were so enthusiastic that they finished the task assigned swiftly and requested to work on more lunch boxes. Eventually, the children’s hard work contributed to 1000 well-labelled packet boxes. There was a huge sense of achievement and satisfaction among the children and teachers. This group of enthusiastic Kindness Ambassadors continued in their efforts to help the other volunteers. They were now tasked with a different and more challenging activity that of shelling boiled eggs. Throughout their time in the kitchen, our children experienced the heat, rush and stuffiness of an environment that was unfamiliar to them. This served as an incidental teaching moment in emphasizing the worthiness of the endurance invested by the volunteers so as to reap benefit for the larger community. This also reinforced the positive values of perseverance, resilience and empathy. The tougher the sowing path, the sweeter the fruits reaped. Packets of dried goods and provisions donated by the children’s parents were presented to the host, whereby children acknowledged that this small gesture can help fill the stomachs of some people who cannot afford basic necessities. After a morning of labour, our Kindness Ambassadors experienced kindness from the Soup Kitchen when they were invited to a simple lunch buffet to fill their hungry tummies.
