THE JOY OF GIVING: Mr Chandra Mohan (right), gives Mr Chua Michael (left), a beneficiary of the North West Tingkat Scheme, his meal for the day in a tingkat. The scheme helps low income families to alleviate their household expenses by providing them with home-cooked meals. (PHOTO: RACHEL NG)

Every day from 5pm to 7pm, volunteers of North West Tingkat Scheme hand out cooked meals in tiered, metal food containers, or tingkats, to needy households in the district.

 

Some volunteers choose to work on the ground, delivering the food; others prefer to work behind the scenes, canvassing for funding and support. 

 

One of them is 53-year-old, Chandra Mohan Rethnam, PBM, a partner with law firm, Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP.

 

Mr Mohan is the chairperson of Club-100 @ North West and he is also the driving factor of the success behind Club-100 @ North West. Club-100 @North West aims to foster the culture of philanthropy and to reach out to those needy people.

 

“The greatest benefit of life is to be able to help other people and to also being able to get other people to join you for the same cause,” said Mr Mohan.

 

Set up by the North West Community Development Council (NWCDC) in May 2008, Club-100 @ North West comprises both 518 individuals and corporate members who contribute $100 or more every month over the past 6 years.

 

The donation goes into sustaining the North West Food Aid Fund (FAF), a local assistance scheme that supports the North West Food Rations, the North West Food Vouchers and the North West Tingkat Scheme.

 

Members of Club-100 @ North West pledged $2.9 million in 2014 to help more than 8000 needy families.

 

Since 2008, Mr Mohan has been actively involved in both Club-100 and the North West FAF. He was the chairman of the North West FAF Organising Committee for five consecutive years from 2010 to 2014.

 

Behind the hard work and commitment of Mr Mohan lies a man who manages his time well not only having to deal with clients but committing to his own duties for Club-100 @ North West.

 

“You have to learn how to balance between work and yet being able to spent some time reflecting, participating and helping others.” said Mr Mohan who has successfully invited 500 donors to join Club-100.

 

Mr Chua Michael, 64, a beneficiary of North West Tingkat Scheme who has been in it for 6 months is thankful for the club’s contribution, he said: “I think it’s doing a very good job, and it has really helped me with my daily meals.”