It’s that time of the year again when the Wantedly team gathers to play our part in positively impacting the community! From packing food items at Food from the Heart to helping out with food preparation at Willing Hearts, we went full circle and volunteered our afternoon at Dignity Kitchen (it’s a surprisingly short 10-minute walk from our office).

Established in 2010, Project Dignity is a social enterprise driven to restore dignity to the differently-abled, while solving a deeply-rooted challenge that this marginalised group faces - unemployment. Through vocational programs and on-the-job training, Project Dignity hopes to equip the differently-abled with skill sets, boosting their employability.

Their food court arm, Dignity Kitchen, combines local cuisine and community to foster greater understanding for the differently-abled. What’s more, they use 100% Halal ingredients, but as of writing, they’re renewing their certification.

Armed with the passion and determination to make an impact, we were welcomed warmly by Rainbow, who guided us through the session. Hygiene takes top priority, so we quickly donned hair nets, aprons, and gloves.

Packing 100 food items into individual bento boxes seemed overwhelming at first. But with so many hands helping out, the bento boxes were ready for distribution in the blink of an eye. Although distribution only began at 4 pm, we were heartened to see queues forming hours before. This lifted up our spirits because Dignity Kitchen offers complimentary bento boxes to the elderly and needy in the neighbourhood. We learned through Rainbow’s sharing that this might be their only meal of the day for some, and it was a poignant reflection for all of us.

While we’ve had our own challenges with job hunting, we realised that the challenge is even more significant for the differently-abled. Dignity Kitchen strives to make a change in these people’s lives and at the same time, champions the belief that everyone should be treated with dignity regardless of their circumstances.

Feeling inspired to do your part? Check out the volunteering opportunities Project Dignity offers!