A groundbreaking collaboration between Jamiyah Singapore and Bukit Batok Grassroots Organisations transforms how we think about food security and community empowerment
In the heart of Bukit Batok, a quiet revolution in community care is taking place. At Block 188 Bukit Batok West Avenue 6, what looks like an ordinary ground-floor unit houses something extraordinary: JAMPACKED@Bukit Batok, Singapore’s first integrated community service centre that’s rewriting the playbook on food assistance and community support.
Beyond the Traditional Food Bank Model
For decades, food assistance in Singapore has followed a familiar pattern: collect donations, pack standardized food parcels, and distribute them to beneficiaries. While effective, this model often treats recipients as passive receivers of aid. JAMPACKED@Bukit Batok dares to ask a different question: what if we gave families the dignity of choice?
The answer lies in their innovative Community Minimart concept. Instead of receiving predetermined food packages, low-income families in the Bukit Batok constituency are given monthly credits to “shop” for items they actually need. Fresh fruits and vegetables sit alongside rice and noodles, while essential toiletries share shelf space with children’s biscuits and Milo powder.
“Every family is unique with different needs,” explains the centre’s philosophy, and this simple recognition drives everything they do. A family with young children might prioritize baby formula and fresh produce, while elderly residents might focus on easy-to-prepare meals and health supplements. The minimart model respects these differences in ways traditional food banks cannot.
A Meeting of Minds and Hearts
The story of JAMPACKED@Bukit Batok begins with an unlikely partnership that showcases Singapore’s collaborative spirit at its finest. Jamiyah Singapore, a Muslim charitable organization with nearly 50 years of experience in food assistance, joined forces with the Bukit Batok Grassroots Organisations to create something entirely new.
Jamiyah Singapore had already made waves in 2016 when they opened Singapore’s first Muslim-owned food bank at Tannery Lane—a four-storey warehouse operation that serves about 300 families with bi-monthly food distributions. But for Bukit Batok, they envisioned something different: a localized, integrated approach that would bring services directly to residents’ doorsteps.
The timing couldn’t have been more crucial. As Singapore grappled with the economic fallout from COVID-19, food insecurity became an urgent concern for many families. Traditional support systems were stretched thin, and communities needed innovative solutions that could adapt to rapidly changing needs.
The Power of Proximity and Choice
For beneficiaries like Mdm Saliana bte Salleh, the difference is transformational. The 38-year-old housewife and mother of ten children previously had to travel across the island to West Coast Centre for her bi-monthly food rations. Now, JAMPACKED@Bukit Batok is just a 15-minute walk from her home.
“I can choose whatever I need monthly,” she shares, highlighting how the centre has restored both convenience and agency to her family’s food assistance. But perhaps more importantly, she looks forward to participating in the development programmes with her husband and encouraging her school-going children to attend academic workshops—a holistic approach that addresses not just immediate food needs but long-term family development.
This proximity model represents a fundamental shift in community service delivery. Rather than centralizing services in distant locations, JAMPACKED@Bukit Batok embeds support directly within the community it serves. The result is not just improved accessibility, but stronger community bonds and reduced stigma around seeking assistance.
Leadership That Understands Community
The official launch on September 11, 2021, brought together a remarkable constellation of Singapore’s leadership, underscoring the national significance of this local initiative. Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s presence as the officiant sent a clear message about the government’s commitment to innovative community solutions.
In his remarks, Minister Tharman captured the essence of what makes JAMPACKED@Bukit Batok special: “The start (of a project) can be (a chance encounter), but it carries on because of the motivation, empathy and the sense that we are all better off when we are feeling that we are part of one community.”
This sentiment was echoed by Mr. Murali Pillai, Advisor to Bukit Batok Grassroots Organisations, who emphasized how the food bank “cements the food and grocery assistance programmes” while building a caring community that allows residents to help one another emerge from the pandemic stronger together.
Beyond Food: A Holistic Vision
What distinguishes JAMPACKED@Bukit Batok from conventional food assistance programs is its commitment to comprehensive support. Datuk Dr. Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar, President of Jamiyah Singapore, articulated this vision clearly during the launch: the goal is to help beneficiaries “as holistically as possible to eventually enable them to help themselves, and be less reliant on the support of others.”
This philosophy translates into concrete action through planned family development programs, information and referral services, and educational workshops for children. The centre recognizes that food insecurity is often symptomatic of broader challenges—unemployment, lack of skills, family stress, educational gaps—and seeks to address these root causes alongside immediate needs.
The approach reflects a sophisticated understanding of poverty and community development. Rather than simply providing temporary relief, JAMPACKED@Bukit Batok invests in building families’ capacity for long-term stability and self-sufficiency.
A Model for Singapore’s Future
The success of JAMPACKED@Bukit Batok offers valuable lessons for community development across Singapore and beyond. Its key innovations—the community minimart model, integrated service delivery, and neighborhood-level implementation—demonstrate how traditional charitable work can evolve to meet contemporary challenges.
The centre operates with remarkable accessibility, staying open Monday through Saturday with extended weekday hours to accommodate different family schedules. This practical consideration reflects the broader attention to user needs that characterizes the entire operation.
Perhaps most importantly, JAMPACKED@Bukit Batok proves that effective community support requires more than good intentions—it demands genuine partnership between different sectors, innovative thinking about service delivery, and deep respect for the dignity and agency of those being served.
Building Community, One Choice at a Time
As Singapore continues to navigate economic uncertainty and social challenges, JAMPACKED@Bukit Batok stands as a beacon of what’s possible when communities come together with creativity and compassion. The centre’s tagline, “Brimming with Food, Beaming with Hope,” captures both its practical mission and its deeper aspiration.
In transforming food assistance from charity to empowerment, from standardization to choice, from distant help to neighborhood support, JAMPACKED@Bukit Batok doesn’t just feed families—it nourishes the social fabric that makes Singapore strong. It reminds us that true wealth, as the Hadith displayed at the centre teaches, is indeed “the wealth of the soul.”
For other constituencies and communities looking to strengthen their social support systems, JAMPACKED@Bukit Batok offers a compelling blueprint: start with dignity, build through partnership, and trust in the power of choice to transform not just individual lives, but entire neighborhoods.
JAMPACKED@Bukit Batok is located at Blk 188 Bukit Batok West Ave 6 #01-07, Singapore 650188. The centre is open Monday-Thursday 9:30 AM-6:30 PM, Friday 9:30 AM-6:00 PM, and Saturday 9:30 AM-12:00 PM. For more information, contact 6993 1538/6993 1539 or email [email protected].
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