On 16 July, 39 K2 children from TOUCH Child Care (Hougang & Clementi) arrived at TOUCH Home Care single-mindedly to fulfill the mission of the Meals-on-Wheels programme – delivering meals to the stay-home and needy elderly residing around Toa Payoh estate.
To prepare them for their ‘mission’, the staff of TOUCH Home Care conducted 3 different stations to enhance the children’s understanding and empathy towards the plight of the elderly. Through hands-on activities, the children learnt what they can do to care and help the elderly who cannot see, hear and walk well.
Led by their teachers, the children were divided into smaller groups to visit 12 elderly at their units for their meals delivery. Besides delivering food, each elderly was also gifted 4 tissue boxes, a packet of milo sachets and a set of Khong Guan crackers. The costs of these items were kindly donated by the children and their families.
Undeterred by the sun and the distance they have to cover, the children carried the packet lunches and donations in high spirits throughout their way to visit the elderly. So proud of them!
The children’s perseverance and positive attitude were greatly rewarded when the elderly greeted them with wide smiles when they reached the respective units. It was heartwarming to hear the children affectionately calling them, “Ah Gong” or “Ah Ma!” and informing them that it is time to eat. The intergenerational interaction between the elderly and children, though brief, was indeed a precious moment.
While the children had accomplished their mission of delivering meals to the elderly, we know that the ‘greater’ mission of inculcating values of respect and care for the elderly in our children has been fulfilled too when they said they want to go back again to care and deliver food to the Ah Gong and Ah Ma. So proud of them!
