Benjamin recently volunteered at Willing Hearts and helped with food preparation. He was the only child there that day, so he was assigned to prepare vegetables. At first, it might look like a simple task, but the learning was much bigger than that.

As he peeled basket after basket of kangkong, I told him who the food was for. Willing Hearts prepares and delivers about 10,000 meals a day to people in Singapore who are in need, including the elderly, persons with disabilities, low-income families, single-parent families, people who are chronically ill, poverty-stricken families, and low-income migrant workers.

That was when the scale of it really sank in. There were at least 30 other people around us, all quietly doing the same kind of work. Everyone was focused, everyone was busy, and everyone was contributing toward the same goal. The amount of kangkong to prepare felt enormous, basket after basket, almost like a truckload.

I told Benjamin to imagine that we were preparing food for our own loved ones. That means we cannot do the job carelessly. He had to pay attention to the length of the stalks, because the food might be eaten by an older person and we would not want anyone to choke. He also had to remove leaves that were rotten and set aside stems that were not ideal. It helped Benjamin see that service is not always exciting or glamorous. Sometimes, it is doing one small task patiently and faithfully because it matters to someone else.

What we appreciate about Willing Hearts is that individuals and groups below 4 can walk in without booking. Their kitchen operates daily from 5:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with volunteer shifts from 5:00 AM to 9:00 AM, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, and 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

For families with children, it is also helpful to know that volunteers must be at least 5 years old, and children aged 5 to 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Volunteers should wear closed-toe shoes and comfortable clothing suitable for kitchen work. The site also recommends covered non-slip shoes.

From our experience, once you arrive, everyone is usually very busy. Do check in by scanning the QR code on the notice board, then help yourself to a hair net, apron, and gloves. After that, observe which station needs help and politely ask the volunteers there what you can do, as everyone is usually very busy. For safety reasons, children are not allowed to enter the cutting station where other volunteers are handling knives.

For him, the biggest lesson was this: volunteering is not just about preparing food. It is about understanding that every leaf, every basket, and every small action is part of something much bigger, helping to feed people across Singapore with dignity and care.