Contents

1. Issue analysis- media monitoring ……………………………………………....……... 1

2. Media release………………………………………………………………................... 6
3. Original photograph- newsworthy and suitable………………………………............... 9
4. Tweet and Facebook post……………………………………………………………… 10
 1. Issue analysis- media monitoring
Organisation behind the story:
 The Food Bank Singapore
 Singapore Management University’s Lien Centre for Social Innovation
 Charity Food Workgroup
 Ministry of Social and Family Development

Key Messages:

 A study, named the Hungry Report, in which 1200 families took part, found that in
the last 12 months, at least 10 per cent of residents in Singapore have had problems
finding safe, sufficient, and nutritious food to consume.
 Every two out of five households of the 1200 families surveyed struggle with food
security.
 During the survey conducted, 78 per cent of households with food insecurity did not
receive support.
 Health risks of food insecurity can include overweight and resentment, which
negatively impacts mental and physical health.

Key Issues:

 21 per cent of the surveyed state family issue, the lack of mobility, the death of a
spouse, time constraint and imprisonment as reasons for food insecurity, and 79 per
cent of the surveyed cite financial constraints as a critical issue leading to food
insecurity.
 Heads of families with food security problems are likely to have lower academic
qualifications and are unlikely to have completed University.
 Only 38 per cent of families with food security seek support; the other 62 per cent did
not know there was a food support program. Other reasons for not seeking food
support include embarrassment and believing that others needed it more than them,
hence, not requesting assistance.
 Those in need have a feeling of no longer believing in the value of food programs,
perhaps because the main reason for food insecurity is financially related, and food
assistance is not a long-term solution leading them to shun help.

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  Lack of sufficient information on food insecurity in household residence areas leading
to poor strategical coordination and the inability to identify areas of food insecurity.
Steps have since been taken to improve the coordination.
 Regardless of food security status, 60 per cent of those surveyed had an unhealthy
Body Mass Index. The focus must be placed on nutritious and healthy eating to
improve the food support program.
 Lack of information and education is two of the main issues surrounding food
insecurity. The lack of the two factors leads to a lack of compassion and
understanding of food security.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/charities-providing-food-support-step-up-efforts-amid-
covid-19-pandemic

Organisation behind the story:

 Food Bank Singapore

 Food From The Heart
 Free Food For All
 Willing Hearts
 Touch Community Services
 Persatuan Permudi Islam Singapore's Welfare Trust Fund

Key Messages:

 In the study conducted in 2019, results show nine out of 10 Singaporeans have had
enough healthy and safe food in the last 12 months, leaving one Singaporean
struggling with food security at least once a year. Of this, the number of families
struggling with food security is two out of five households or 10.4 per cent.
 Foodbank have supported Singaporean families during the pandemic by delivering
cooked food with its Feed The City program and has given out more than 537
emergency ration boxes and 2,800 food bundles.
 Food From the Heart has helped 300 interim beneficiaries.
 Free Food For All, noted that people who have lost their source of income during
Covid-19 make up 10 per cent of their beneficiaries.

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  On a smaller scale, groups like Persatuan Permudi Islam Singapore's Welfare Trust
Fund and Touch Community Services provide monthly food rations or cooked food
delivery.

Key Issues:

 Some families who previously did not have any issues with food security are now
having problems with getting enough to eat due to the loss of jobs or cuts in incomes
amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
 In the coming months, when government support schemes rescind and the job market
is likely to maintain soft, more people are likely to go hungry.
 Since some families have never experienced not having enough to eat before the
pandemic, they are shy to ask for help and, in some cases, do not know where to seek
help.
 For Singaporeans, many think that anyone can buy food costing $3 or even instant
noodles; therefore, for someone to ask for food support, it takes a lot of courage due
to the perception of others.
 For impoverished families and older adults living alone, food insecurity is usually a
problem.
 Duplication of effort was an issue even before Covid-19 and escalated since the
pandemic. Instead of uncoordinated efforts, anyone who wishes to contribute should
approach food charities to volunteer if they are hands-on or donate money to food
charities to buy items at a lower price and distribute them to the needy.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/some-singapore-households-see-improvement-in-
food-security-status-despite-pandemic

Organisation behind the story:

The Food Bank Singapore

Singapore Management University’s Lien Centre for Social Innovation

Tolaram

Key Messages:

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  Study shows improvement for some Singapore households in food security during the
pandemic.
 The initial report, named, The Hunger Report, was printed in 2020. Findings show
that some 10.4 per cent of the surveyed households in Singapore is not confident or do
not have access to sufficient, safe food to maintain their health.
 40 per cent of households with food security issues have improved during the
pandemic and had their food status moving up from “severely food insecure” to
“moderately food insecure” compared to 2020.
 A follow-up survey was conducted this year, following the first run of The Hungry
Report in 2020. The survey shows about 26 families out of 59 families surveyed have
shown improvements in their food security.
 12 out of the 59 households surveyed this year no longer have food insecurity issues.
 Report finds that during a time of chaos and crisis, people feel respected and find
comfort in being able to choose what they eat. Therefore, it is essential to give choices
to the needy whenever possible.
 Rental households face many issues, and food insecurity is only one of the problems.

Key Issues:

 Singapore households struggled to put food on the table even before the pandemic.
 Singaporeans not seeking aid before the pandemic.
 Insufficient on-the-ground food support before the pandemic.
 Even though there are substantial improvements in certain families, there is still a
high percentage of households, 45.8 per cent, which still reported no improvements
from their previous situation. 10.5 per cent have reported that their situation has
worsened during the pandemic.
 Psychological well-being of the household has not been well. However, this has
improved by 89 per cent compared with 2020 after choices were given to families to
choose the way support is received, either by receiving cooked food or supermarket
vouchers.
 Food insecurity has been firmly established over time, and the two groups most
exposed to the issues are rough sleepers and persons living in rental flats.
 Focus must be put on rental-flat families to help the next-generation break out of the
poverty cycle to decrease food insecurity.

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References

Han, G. Y. (2020, November 16). Charities providing food support step up efforts amid
covid-19 pandemic. The Straits Times.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/charities-providing-food-support-step-up-
efforts-amid-covid-19-pandemic
Han, G. Y. (2020, September 16). 10% of Singaporeans struggle to get sufficient, safe and
nutritious food: SMU Study. The Straits Times.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/10-of-singaporeans-struggle-to-get-sufficient-
safe-and-nutritious-food-smu-study
Shafeeq, S. (2022, March 25). Some Singapore households see improvement in food security
status despite pandemic. The Straits Times.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/some-singapore-households-see-
improvement-in-food-security-status-despite-pandemic
The Food Bank Singapore. (2022, February 7). About - The Food Bank Singapore. The Food
Bank Singapore. https://foodbank.sg/about/

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 2. Media Release

Company letterhead

MEDIA RELEASE

Total number of pages: 03

ATT: Syarafana Shafeeq Date: 9th June 2022

Social Affairs Journalist

The Straits Time

Decrease in the number of Singaporean families facing food insecurities after Singapore
ease Covid-19 measures.

Singapore, 7 June 2022- A follow-up report in 2022 reveals that with the loosening of
Covid-19 measures in Singapore, the economy has improved, and business has started hiring
again, which has helped some families escape food insecurity.

The global Covid-19 pandemic started in 2019 has caused devastation to some families in
Singapore, plunging them into food insecurity. Some households have had their sole
breadwinner lose their jobs or had their income reduced, causing them to fall into food
insecurity. With the opening of Singapore’s borders to the outside world, the economic
situation has improved dramatically, creating more jobs, and decreasing the number of
persons with food insecurity.

In an updated report released in May this year, commissioned by The Food Bank Singapore,
results show that compared to last year, five out of ten of the families who previously needed
assistance no longer need help. Families do not need any more food support because their
breadwinners have found jobs and, therefore, improved their financial status, leading to
sufficient income to purchase adequate, safe, and nutritious food.

Even with the positive outlook, the number of new families needing food assistance has only
decreased by five per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels. The new households needing
food assistance cited the inability to work due to old age and the failure to find a suitable job
as the main reasons for not sustaining their food security.

In an interview with the co-founder of The Food Bank Singapore, Mr Nicholas Ng, about
food insecurity in Singapore, he said, “Besides supporting those in need by the distribution of

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food, agencies should investigate the root cause of the food insecurities. In my opinion, we
should focus on the next generation and youth, to ensure they have a proper education so that
they will have the means to break out of poverty”. This is also echoed in the previous year’s
report findings. It was found that the head of the families who face food insecurity are
unlikely to have completed University and tend to have lower educational qualifications.

In a step towards supporting the children, Mr Nicholas Ng, with his charity, The Food Bank
Singapore, started a pilot program last year where primary school children of low-income
families are given a meal card to purchase food in schools. These meal cards appear the same
as regular cards that other students use to buy food in school; this prevents the children from
feeling embarrassed when using the meal cards, taking care of their physiological welfare. In
March this year, the program started in 30 primary schools. Parents of low-income families
welcome this move and hope that this can continue and be implemented in more primary
schools and, if possible, in post-primary schools.

Old age sometimes leads to the inability to continue to work, and those without sufficient
savings have been forced into food insecurity. In May, the updated report shows that 40 per
cent of the new families needing food support are aged 70 and above. These elderlies tend to
be staying in rental flats and have no children to support them.

Miss Nichol Ng, the co-founder of The Food Bank Singapore, said, “It is difficult for old
folks with no savings to sustain their daily needs, and it is paramount that we find these old
folks and give them the necessary food support. I believe that several old folks still suffer
from food insecurity, but they do not know how to or are too embarrassed to ask for support.”
To find these elderlies, The Food Bank Singapore regularly tweets via their official Twitter
account to encourage the public to inform them by calling the hotline if they suspect their
neighbours are food insecure.

The Singapore Food Bank was founded in 2012 and is a registered charity in Singapore and a
member of the Global FoodBanking Network. Its mission is to end all forms of food
insecurity in Singapore. Its vision is to play a central role in stopping food insecurity,
reducing food wastage, and being the leading, coordinating organisation for food donations in
Singapore.

Released on behalf of: The Food Bank Singapore Limited

Issued by: Professional PR

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For further information: Ong Urn Wee

Professional PR

The Food Bank Singapore

Tel: +65 69627343 (Office hours), Mobile: +65 92719150

(After office hours)

Email: onguw@hotmail.com

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 3. Original photograph

Volunteers and staff of The Food Bank Singapore are getting ready to deliver packed food to
needy families who prefer cooked food during the pandemic.

References

The Food Bank Singapore. (2020, May 8). Q&A: Food Bank Singapore's rapid response to
covid-19. The Global FoodBanking Network. Https://www.foodbanking.org/qa-food-
bank-singapores-reaction-to-covid-19/

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 4. Twitter and Facebook post

Twitter Post

After nearly two years of stringent measures to prevent pandemic spread, Singapore has
started to ease Covid-19 efforts, the economy has improved, and business is again starting to
employ. The unemployment rate has significantly decreased, leading to fewer families having
food insecurity issues.

Facebook Post

The unemployment rate in Singapore has fallen since the country opened for business, and
most activities have resumed with reduced restrictions. With the availability of jobs, more
families are better off financially and have recovered from their food insecurity status when
compared to during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, some groups, for example, the elderly
or persons unable to find suitable jobs, are still struggling with food insecurity.

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