IN conjunction with the 22nd anniversary of One Hope Charity & Welfare, 8,000 households received aid amounting to RM2.6mil from the non-profit organisation in Bukit Mertajam, Penang.
The recipients comprised single mothers, senior citizens and families with many dependents. They received donations of essential goods as well as cash.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who atttended the event at Juru Auto City hall, thanked assemblymen and the organising committee for providing bus services to ferry recipients from their respective regions since most of them did not have transportation or lived far away.
Present too were Human Resources Minister Steven Sim, who is also the Bukit Mertajam MP, Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng, Penang Malay Association president Tan Sri Mohd Yussof Latiff, One Hope Charity & Welfare advisor Datuk Seri R. Arunasalam and Auto City managing director Gary Teoh along with several Penang executive councillors and assemblymen.
Chow praised One Hope Charity & Welfare for its charity work over the past 22 years.
“This NGO has a systematic and organised aid distribution system,” he said.
In his speech, One Hope Charity & Welfare chairman Datuk Chua Sui Hau said each beneficiary received RM200 cash in addition to RM100 worth of food items.
“We understand that every family has different needs and cash aid allows recipients to use the funds for education expenses, utility bills and other daily needs.
“Every year, our anniversary is not celebrated with a big feast but by giving aid to the less fortunate.
“Today, we will also donate medical equipment worth RM337,000 to two government hospitals to help improve the quality of their services and benefit more patients,” he said.