MAF committee members presenting the monetary aid to Taman Sinar Harapan Kuala Kubu Bharu head Norsyahrulseri Mansor
Kuala Kubu Bharu, 14 February 2017 – The Year of the Rooster kicked off to a great start for special needs home Taman Sinar Harapan here recently when they welcomed the Malaysian AEON Foundation’s (MAF) charity team to usher in the Chinese New Year.
The institution, which provides care, shelter and rehabilitation for disabled individuals, is the focus of MAF’s “Spread Our Love” campaign for the celebration this year.
It was a truly an auspicious occasion as 50 AEON volunteers and five MAF committee members came bearing gifts that brought smiles of joy to the shelter’s residents and staff.
“Happiness is meant to be shared, and with Chinese New Year upon us, there is no better time to ‘spread the love’.
A volunteer share stories with a home resident during the visit
“As a brand that is built for the community, we believe in the necessity of giving back to those in need.
“It’s a cause we continue to champion year after year, and really, the smiles that we get in return makes it worthwhile,” MAF Vice President 2 Kenji Fujita, who is also Managing Director of AEON Credit Service, said.
Home to 220 special needs residents, Taman Sinar Harapan received gifts worth RM10,000 in the form of essentials ranging from adult diapers and toiletries to blankets and food products.
To further ease the financial strain, MAF also presented the home with a cheque of RM20,000.
The donations though, were not the only items on the visiting team’s agenda.
Volunteers helping to clean up the dorm at the home
It was the New Year, after all, and the intention was clear from the start – to bring cheer and goodwill. With that in mind, MAF volunteers also spent time engaging with the residents in a series of fun activities.
One of them was a cake decoration contest where the volunteers were paired with the residents and competed against each other.
The MAF volunteers also worked together to clean and decorate the home, and after their hard work, a sumptuous lunch was served, where MAF volunteers also helped to feed residents who required assistance.
And in true Chinese New Year tradition, the volunteers together with the residents tossed the Yee Sang.
And what is Chinese New Year without lion dances?
That was exactly how the memorable ended with a very loud and colorful lion dance performance that had the residents all excited.
To date, MAF has successfully initiated six “Spread Our Love” campaigns, the first of which began since 2012.
Past efforts included visits to old folks’ homes, donations to welfare organizations as well as the AEON-sponsored shopping trip for 150 children.
The foundation, initially charity fund that was officially launched in 2004, has been operating for more than 12 years.
The Foundation’s mission is to be continuously involved in fund-raising activities and events for the benefit of all Malaysians, especially children.
The Foundation also hopes to provide medical, education and living expenses financial aid to the needy and underprivileged.
