KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 — The Lost Food Project (TLFP) and the Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) has launched a challenge to help feed the needy.

Dubbed the Rice Bucket Challenge, TLFP and MRCS want the general public and companies to take it up as a response to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is also being held in conjunction with World Food Day on October 16.

The Rice Bucket Challenge encourages the public to donate in a bid to end hunger in Malaysia.

Besides this, it is also a means to rescue surplus food and other products from supermarkets, manufacturers and wholesale markets by redistributing them to the less fortunate in the Klang Valley and beyond.

To join the challenge, participants will need to fill up a bucket or basket with essential food or non food items at any participating outlets such as The Food Purveyor, Village Grocer and Ben’s Independent Grocer stores in the Klang Valley and Johor Baru.

Once the bucket has been filled, participants will need to take a photo or video of the bucket and post it on their social media by tagging three of their friends or family along with the #ricebucketchallengemy before dropping the bucket at the designated drop off stations at the participating outlets.

For Village Grocer, participating outlets in the Klang Valley are KL Gateway, Tropicana Gardens, Subang Parade, EkoCheras, Melawati Mall, Tamarind Square and Atria Shopping Gallery while the participating outlet in Johor Baru is The Mall Mid Valley Southkey.

As for Ben’s Independent Grocer, their participating outlets in the Klang Valley are Publika and The Linc while for Johor Baru outlets are Toppen Shopping Centre and the Mall of Medini.

Participants can also join the challenge by buying virtual buckets online at Lazada through this link.

Donations from the Rice Bucket Challenge are expected to reach out to at least 30 charities and 7,500 B40 children and families nationwide.

TLFP general manager Mohd Syazwan said this was another way for them to connect and help struggling Malaysians.

"This challenge is a fun and meaningful way to provide relief to the rising number of Malaysians struggling with financial uncertainty and food insecurity, in most cases worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

"We are grateful for the continued support from MRCS, The Food Purveyor, P&G, and other partners, as well as the community, and can’t wait to see Malaysians get together and ‘rice’ against hunger nationwide,” Syazwan said in a press release.

MRCS honorary secretary general Hakim Hamzah believed that it was important for communities to stand together in uplifting those in need especially during hard times.

Singer Reshma Martin and Actress and TV Presenter, Yasmin Hani — Photo courtesy of The Lost Food Project

Since the Movement Control Order (MCO) was implemented back in March, TLFP has provided over 800,000 meals to B40 families and charities despite the decline in surplus food since the start of the MCO.

MRCS has stepped up their efforts with the #responsMalaysia initiative which provides relief to those impacted by Covid-19.

The Rice Bucket Challenge will start from October 12 until November 12 and it is supported by The Food Purveyor, P&G, Mediabrands and the Football Association of Selangor.

Among the supporters of the challenge are actress Yasmin Hani and singer Reshma Martin.