From BCHC FB posting dated 12 Aug 2025:
"𝐏𝐚𝐲-𝐈𝐭-𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞
Our objectives to manage Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre are to build community, preserve hawker heritage and meet public's needs for affordable, healthy meals. That is why we promote healthier eating, eco-friendly and productive operations. We also wanted to foster a caring society and encourage paying-it-forward.
During the stall application stage three years ago, we attracted overwhelming interest, with 9 applicants for each available stall. It was not easy to select stall tenants. Other than offering affordable and quality meals, we also incorporated into our selection criteria hawkers who shared our vision to pay-it-forward to the community, through the offering of free meals to the low income. As hawkers were selected on this basis, we incorporated Pay-it-Forward into the tenancy contract.
After the hawker centre was opened, we discussed further with stallholders on the Pay-It-Forward programme, and significantly reduced the original arrangement of 30 meals per month to a total of 100 meals over the three-year tenancy period, averaging fewer than three meals per month. This revised arrangement was reflected in our contract variation with our hawkers in around August 2023.
Even so, the Pay-it-Forward programme has not officially started. We need to be able to identify low-income residents, and able to track their eligibility. Those preparatory work has not been done yet. So, there is no obligation on the part of the hawkers, and no penalties to speak of. While hawkers have voluntarily agreed to participate at the point of selection, we also acknowledged the view that charity should not be contractual, and this is something to be reviewed again when the Pay-It -Forward programme is ready."
Read the above response and digest yourself.
I am so touched till I want to join the CHG asap.
