KULIM: Northern Food Bank (NFB), a non-governmental organisation, is appealing to the public to contribute daily essentials to be channelled to the needy in the northern states of the peninsula.
Its secretary Nor Maznah Baharum said various daily essentials especially dry foodstuff such as flour, sugar, rice, eggs, infant milk powder as well as cooking oil and baby disposable diapers were much needed by the less fortunate.
“The NFB’s food supply is never sufficient due to the high demand, so we need more of the foodstuff for distribution, especially with the upcoming fasting month,” she told Bernama at the NFB supply collection centre in Taman Serai Wangi, here, today.
She said NFB also required more volunteers from all the northern states to ease information collection and food supply distribution.
“The members of this organisation are from different backgrounds and they are mainly in Penang and Kedah who take care of their own areas in collecting and distributing the contributions,” she added.
According to her, each day the NFB receives over 50 urgent requests for foodstuff and other essentials from members of the public via WhatsApp, the message system or phone calls.
“These requests will have to be screened and we choose only those who are really in need of the daily essentials as the supply is limited,” said Nor Maznah, adding that reports on the NFB’s activities were uploaded to social media to encourage the public to do charity.
Meanwhile, Siti Aisyah Johari, 37, who is in the catering business, said she viewed the NFB’s initiative as a good platform for people to donate to the needy.
“Previously, I had been doing welfare activities individually, but with NGOs like the NFB, it makes it easier for me to do charity,” she said. – Bernama
