Meet your friends next door: How food rescues brought the community at Compassvale Helm together

Dawn Lim Jia Jia, resident of Compassvale Helm, has forged friendships with her neighbours.

In the heart of Compassvale Helm resides a close-knit community, one that thrives on mutual support and the joy of giving. What began as a local food rescue effort has grown into a powerful testament to the kindness that can bloom when neighbours come together.

For Dawn Lim Jia Jia, joining her community’s food rescue initiative has been a transformative experience. It isn’t just about food—it’s about forging bonds and forming friendships with the people in the estate that she’s proud to call home.

Food for all

Since moving to Compassvale Helm five years ago, Dawn has been participating in the community’s food rescue.

To Dawn, food rescues are not just an environmentally-conscious effort to reduce waste but also a way of connecting with her neighbours.

The food comes from various sources, including households and local bakeries. Once collected, the food will be available for anyone to pick up.

The initiative has rescued everything from vegetables to bread, and even yoghurt. “My neighbours are always eager to share any food that they are unable to finish,” Dawn shared. If there is an excess, Dawn organises a collection drive so that the food can go to food rescues in other neighbourhoods.

Dawn feels grateful and inspired each time she witnesses her neighbours come together to support the food rescue programme. This initiative has created a shared purpose that unites both givers and receivers.

In addition to food rescue, potlucks are also held every few months to bring neighbours together.

These gatherings aren’t just for newcomers; they’re an opportunity for everyone within the six-block radius to connect more deeply. “Whenever we meet new neighbours, we make sure to invite them,” Dawn shared.

A connected community

Food rescues are just one of the many examples of how the community comes together.

Through estate chat groups, the residents are able to share items they no longer require, making them available for anyone who might benefit.

Second-hand items are frequently exchanged for free in the estate.

“I’ve personally given away a couple of new lint removers that I got in bulk as I couldn't finish using them all,” Dawn shared.

The estate chat groups and residential networks within Compassvale Helm play a crucial role in the community’s social fabric. These chats are also used to connect with one another, send invitations to community get togethers, and even introduce new neighbours to the community. One resident had recently used these chats to invite a couple of neighbours whom they were unfamiliar with to a hotpot buffet for them to get to know one another. “It truly is a modern kampung,” Dawn observed.

"We organise all [our] initiatives using the various estate chat groups. We have one main chat group, and I'm also part of a ‘Helm Mummies’ chat group. When COVID-19 first happened, we also created a ‘Helm Foodies’ chat group to organise food deliveries,” Dawn said.

She recalled how the community had supported her during COVID-19 after she had given birth to her first child.

“My neighbours cheered me up by comforting me on the Mummies chat group [and] buying treats for me,” she said. They even stepped in to help with her groceries and bought Chinese herbs to help her regain her health. “Without them, I think I would have suffered much more while healing from childbirth.”

Surprises and small celebrations are also typically planned via these chat groups, Dawn shared, citing an occasion where the community surprised an elderly neighbour with a wallet.

It takes a village

“I have always enjoyed connecting with people since I was young,” Dawn said.

Growing up, Dawn’s family had faced financial difficulties and the kindness that they received from neighbours left an indelible impression on her, inspiring her to pay it forward.

“Ever since then, I have vowed to always help others where I could – whether by sharing items or by contributing time, money, and items.”

A community that cares

Dawn believes that simple gestures such as a nod or a wave can be the first step towards creating a connected, supportive community like her home in Compassvale Helm.

For individuals looking to cultivate a similar spirit of kindness and generosity in their own communities, Dawn’s advice is simple: "It’s no harm getting to know your neighbours—start with a nod, a wave, or a hello when you wait for the lift or ride it together."

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