He recalls his final heartbreaking visit to the 89-year-old, whom he had been helping by delivering daily meals as part of his social initiative Bless the Community.
“I don’t want them to die alone without anyone knowing,” he says. “I want to help as much as possible.”
Choong founded Bless the Community with his brother and friends during the first movement control order last year, and successfully raised close to RM40,000 to provide homecooked meals to homeless and elderly Penangites.
This year, however, they have chosen to focus on a small group of elderly citizens, delivering food to them daily and checking on their well-being. The 89-year-old who passed away earlier this year had been a member of the group, now reduced to six individuals.
As much as Choong is saddened that he isn’t helping as many people as he’d like, he stands by the current approach as Bless the Community is able to forge closer relationships with these six and keep a closer eye on their well-being.
He also understands the reality of those who are alone, sharing that his own uncle had lived on his own and died unbeknownst to anyone, until the cleaner came a week later.
“That was a really bad situation, so with what we’re doing now, if something were to happen [to any of the six], we’d know in the shortest time and possibly even save a life,” he says.
Among those who have noticed Bless the Community’s efforts is Stefany Soh, the founder of Our Stories Lah. The Instagram page dedicates its squares to Penangites who are doing good deeds for the community, as well as highlights the plight of the needy.
“I realised there’s a warmth in Penang that you don’t really find anywhere else in the world. So I thought, why not capture some of these stories of how Penangites express themselves,” 22-year-old Soh tells FMT.
Bless the Community’s work was a perfect example, she says. “With the pandemic, it’s extra symbolic when it’s individuals who are helping others rather than establishments.”
She has accompanied Choong several times to distribute food, and on a recent visit, one of the old women lamented that she had dry food at home but no rice cooker.
As more funding would allow Choong to help more people, Our Stories Lah embarked on a fundraiser on Aug 3. In just one day, they raised RM1,000 out of their RM10,000 goal.
“The money is for Bless the Community so it can continue giving,” Soh explains, trusting that Choong and his team will be able to best serve the elderly’s needs with the funds raised.
Choong shares that the six senior citizens Bless the Community cares for either do not have permanent accommodation or are forced to rent a room. He says while the homeless are presumed to be lazy or unreliable, this could not be further from the truth.
“It’s not that they don’t want to work; sometimes others don’t want to hire them and it’s especially hard when they don’t have a permanent address,” he says, expressing regret that hirers rarely give jobs to those who fall in this group.
He is glad to be able to help the six, as well as other needy individuals through other initiatives in Penang. He works with the Lions Group Club every Friday to distribute 120 food packs to the hungry, and spends his weekends doing much the same at his church.
“Everyone has their own story and their own reasons. I don’t judge them as I’m just focused on helping them as much as I can.
“If I am able to help financially or physically I will continue to do so,” he says with a smile. “It’s a blessing that I’m able to give and still have enough for myself, and have the energy to do it.”
Donate to the fundraiser for Bless the Community here. To keep up with Choong’s efforts and to read more heartwarming stories about Penangites, follow Our Stories Lah.