Charity supermarket in Đà Nẵng
We Vietnamese are known for always looking out for one another, so much so that stories of good Samaritans lending a helping hand to those in need are pretty much a daily occurrence at this point.
But that doesn’t make these charitable acts any less commendable. For us, they might just be cute stories that bring a smile to our faces, but for less fortunate people out there, just a simple gesture of kindness can change their lives for the better.
Case in point: a charity supermarket that opened in Đà Nẵng last weekend has saved hundreds of underprivileged households – whose finances have taken a heavy hit due to the second COVID-19 outbreak in the city – from going hungry.
Underprivileged individuals can come to pick up VND300,000+ worth of groceries
Image credit: Plo.vn
The charity supermarkets – courtesy of a charity group in Đà Nẵng – are makeshift locations loaded with rice, instant noodles, eggs, veggies, and other groceries to give away to the disadvantaged.
Image credit: Plo.vn
The group has worked closely with local authorities to ensure that the help goes to those who truly need it. The People’s Committee of each ward in the area creates a list of underprivileged households in the ward, then sends out tickets inviting them to the supermarket site, where they can pick up groceries according to their needs.
Authorities send out invitations to underprivileged households in the area to ensure the help goes to those in need
Image credit: Plo.vn
The tickets are divided into different timeframes to avoid gatherings of large crowds. Also, to leave more for the others, each person is limited to picking up VND300,000-VND350,000 (~USD12.94-USD15.10) worth of goods.
Image credit: Plo.vn
The model was initiated in Đà Nẵng’s Thanh Khê District last weekend, providing assistance to 200 households. It is expected to expand to other districts in the city in the coming weeks.
Preventive measures are being implemented
Image credit: Plo.vn
With COVID-19 community transmissions still a threat in Đà Nẵng, the charity supermarket has also implemented preventive measures to ensure everyone’s safety.
The volunteers working at the supermarket are all equipped with protective gear such as masks, visors, and even full-body suits. Meanwhile, all customers are also required to wear masks and sanitize their hands from an automatic sanitizer dispenser installed at the entrance.
Image credit: Plo.vn
The supermarket only serves 2 customers at any given time. The rest must queue outside to wait for their turn, maintaining a safe distance of 2M from one another.
Image credit: Plo.vn
A mask ATM is also present, providing masks to anyone who needs them.
Charity supermarket helps the underprivileged in Đà Nẵng
Being the epicenter of Vietnam’s second COVID-19 outbreak, Đà Nẵng has been placed under a lockdown order for almost a month, where all non-essential businesses are suspended. This has cost many people from less fortunate backgrounds – such as lottery ticket sellers or common physical laborers – their jobs, pushing them into financial difficulties. Charity efforts like these no doubt go a long way in helping them put food on the table.
For more stories, check out:
- Saigon Zoo staff takes pay cut to leave more for the animals
- Saigon man uses his own money to buy firetruck to help the community
- Saigon boy hands out free meals to the underprivileged
- Đà Nẵng volunteers set up charity kitchen to provide food to quarantine facilities
- Vietnamese from mountainous area sends help to Đà Nẵng
Cover image adapted from Plo.vn
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