S’pore Online Grocery Platform Uses Profits To Help The Needy But People Aren’t Buying Enough

Last Updated on 2019-05-18 , 4:22 pm

There is no lie that the poor do exist in Singapore.

So what can we do? Help to give back.

And that’s exactly what this online grocery platform in Singapore is setting out to do.

How It All Started

Mr Steven Goh, the founder of Kindness mart, started this social enterprise after his past experience with another non-profit organization which he founded.

He is also the founder and president of Helping Joy, which provides services where 200 volunteers clean the homes of the physically disabled or befriend seniors.

He discovered that there are many needy people who required help with services that they did not have enough money for such as plumbing when their toilet is choked.

But his hands are tied as he can’t use the existing donations he had as the funds and donations given to Helping Joy were not for such services.

So he was driven to look for other ways to earn money.

He decided on Kindness Mart, a grocer model because it sold daily necessities which people needed instead of something niche.

Kindness Mart

According to the website, there’s a growing need for help from charitable, non-profit and voluntary welfare organisations. They support and aid the physically and mentally challenged, elderly, low-income families, and other needy individuals in need of help.

Through the sales of groceries on their website, proceeds generated will be given to the mentioned beneficiaries. It will go into helping to pay fees like medical escort fees, medical fees, handyman fees, tuition for children and other fees.

So when you shop with them, you’re indeed helping the lives of people who need it.

In December last year, Kindness Mart helped to pay the bill for repairs for Mr Leong, a 57-year-old. His washing machine had broken down and  he had depended on welfare organisations to help wash his clothes.

He was also heavily reliant on a wheelchair and lived alone. To add on to that, he was also poor. As such, he could not afford to get his washing machine repaired or wash his own clothes by hand.

Not Enough Support

Unfortunately, they currently have a lack of publicity. As a result, not enough funds are being raised for the cause. On some days they have 10 orders, and some days they even have none. Fewer sales mean fewer funds raised.

Due to the amount of money needed to purchase the goods to sell, Mr Goh had to use his own money to sustain the 6-man enterprise. He also added that they are currently not receiving any grants or financial assistance from the Government or any other organisations.

So if you’re in need of stocking up your household items, do consider purchasing them from Kindness Mart instead. Your donations will go a long way.