A community service to feed the hungry was started five months ago by Layer Gene Cafe proprietor Lee Chee Chiang, 27, and his neighbour, Tong Seng Hainanese Chicken Rice shop co-owner Raymond Lee, 31, in Taman Tanjung in Butterworth, Penang.
The two kept a glass door “fridge for the poor” outside the cake shop to feed poor hungry people, reported The Star today.
The duo named it “Love and Hope Port” as it was less than 2km from Penang Port.
Their efforts saw many kind souls keeping the fridge stocked daily with cakes, sandwiches, fruits, milk and nasi lemak for poor families and beggars to eat for free.
Raymond said they put the fridge outside for the poor in the neighbourhood who often went to his shop when it was near closing time looking for leftovers.
“When we prepare our chickens in the back kitchen, one or two birds are sometimes stolen.
“People who must steal food are not bad. It just means they are really hungry,” The Star quoted Raymond as saying.
He said kind-hearted folks came from as far as Kulim, Kedah, to help keep the fridge stocked.
However, greedy unscrupulous people learned of the free food and began checking the fridge almost every hour, and if there was food in there, they took everything away.
“Some people took turns coming by on motorcycles or in cars to check on the fridge almost every hour,” Raymond was quoted as saying.
“They brought big plastic bags and took everything away. Our hearts broke when the poor dropped by and found the fridge empty.”
Unable to stand to see the donated food carted away, Raymond wrapped a padlocked chain around the fridge, passing the key to the needy when they came.
This stopped the pilferers until last Sunday night when they smashed the glass door of the fridge and emptied it for the last time.
The founders of the charity have realised that replacing the fridge will not work, but they are determined to continue their good work in feeding the hungry.
“We will not let a few bad apples make us lose faith in humanity. We will think of another way to make sure the poor will have something to eat,” Raymond said.