COVID-19: Marina Bay Sands donates 15,000kg of food to charity

SINGAPORE: Restaurants in Marina Bay Sands (MBS) have donated nearly 15,000kg of perishable food products to a charity, ahead of the integrated resort’s one-month closure during the nationwide “circuit breaker” campaign to curb the further spread of COVID-19.

In a news release on Monday (Apr 6), MBS said it had arranged for the restaurants on its premises to donate bread, vegetables, fruit, meat, dairy products and 3,600 eggs to The Food Bank Singapore.

The charity collects excess food from food suppliers and re-distributes them to organisations such as old folks' homes, family service centres and soup kitchens. 

READ: ‘Not enough manpower to get food to people in need’: Food charities hit as coronavirus measures ramped up

"As an integrated resort, we consume a lot of food every day, from our staff dining rooms to our restaurants.

"For the next one month, we may be pausing action, but we hope our donated food will fill up the tables of the underprivileged and keep them warm and full during these unprecedented times,” said Ms Christine Sheares, vice president, F&B, Marina Bay Sands.

Mr Nicholas Ng, co-founder of The Food Bank Singapore, said its donations and volunteer involvement have been badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Ng added that the food items donated will help alleviate the concerns of its beneficiary members - Chen Su Lan Methodist Children's Home, Free Food for All, Sion Christian Aftercare Services, Sunlove Home and Willing Hearts.

"We truly appreciate Marina Bay Sands’ thoughtfulness and generosity ... We would like to call out to more organisations to join Marina Bay Sands and donate their excess food to feed the hungry," he said.

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