Singapore – A Sheng Siong Supermarket staff discreetly dropped S$200 into a wake’s collection box with orders to provide financial assistance to those in need during the circuit breaker period.
Sheng Siong Supermarket’s heartwarming efforts to show kindness amid the Covid-19 pandemic has gone viral on social media.
Caleb Low took to Facebook on Monday (June 1) to share his experience with the public. As the family was tallying the funeral accounts booklet after the wake of their grandmother, there was an entry that sparked their curiosity. Beside a S$200 donation was the name: Sheng Shiong Supermarket.
According to a cousin on duty, a supermarket staff came over and “tried to slip S$200 into the collection box quietly.”
Puzzled, the cousin stopped the man from possibly making a mistake on where his money went. “Sorry, may I know who you are?” asked the cousin and added that the collection box was for guests and relatives of the person who passed away.
The man admitted the following, “Actually, I’m working at Sheng Siong. And our management told us to walk around the estate and look out for wakes during this Circuit Breaker period. And we would give a small financial contribution. That’s why I’m here.”
When asked to sign his name in the list for their records, the man wrote “Sheng Siong Supermarket.”
Mr Low thanked the local supermarket chain for their compassionate gesture and noted this was not in any way a PR stunt. “I’ve tried tagging their Facebook page in this post, but they untagged themselves immediately,” he added.
As someone who works in branding, Mr Low was thoroughly impressed by the organisation for letting their actions speak louder than words.
A Sheng Siong Tradition
In addition to sharing their appreciation for the company, netizens shared that this was not the first time Sheng Siong quietly extended their assistance to those in need. Comments poured in illustrating the various occasions the family-oriented company would drop by their wakes and left donations.
Many expressed this was one of the reasons they were loyal patrons of the supermarket and said they would support the company even more.
Alson P Moo commented it was a well-known fact that the boss of Sheng Siong, Mr Lim Hock Chee, is a “nice and humble man.” The initiative of donating cash started many years back with S$50. “The boss did mention that if any of their staff members spot any ongoing funerals, they can approach the supermarket manager and get the money to donate to the bereaved family, no questions asked.”
Scarlett Chong shared her firsthand experience with her father who works for Mr Lim and how the CEO would be “all sweaty in the factory warehouse, slicing planks and welding steel to make those shelves personally.”
Priscilla S C Lim observed that several of the company staff have been working there for decades. “Their attitude shows they belong,” she added.
https://www.facebook.com/caleb.low.353/posts/10163739124130192