Let’s Meat spreads the joy of Christmas with shoebox campaign

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Owners of Let’s Meat – Benjamin, Diana and Joyce gather around their ‘Let’s Give’ Christmas tree.

TANJUNG BUNGAH: In a year fraught with anxiety, fear and sickness, Christmas was doomed to be a glum affair with most revellers staying home behind closed doors for their safety and those of others.

But the people behind American restaurant Let’s Meat were determined to inject the festive spirit right back into Christmas by organising the “Let’s Give” shoebox campaign.

Speaking to FMT, co-owner of Let’s Meat, Benjamin Ho, 27, explains that their main aim is to spread much-needed joy and love at this time of year to little Rohingya refugees and countless other little lives.

The beneficiaries range in age from new-borns to 18-year-olds.

Underneath the Christmas tree is a shoebox that will soon reach the arms of a refugee mother or child.

Working with one learning centre and four homes in Penang, Ho says they targeted to have 120 Christmas shoeboxes filled with handpicked goodies ranging from essential items like snacks to stationery and even baby-care products for mothers.

After identifying the children from the various homes, Ho says they proceeded to decorate the Christmas tree at their restaurant with paper tags bearing the ages and genders of the kids who the shoeboxes would be presented to for Christmas.

With bated breath and fingers’ crossed, Ho says they watched with relief as generous donors who spotted the tags, returned with shoeboxes packed with goodies that they placed under the tree.

Each donor received a RM20 voucher in return for their kindness.

Ho says the shoeboxes will be delivered to the children on Dec 21 in time for Christmas.

Donors can redeem their RM20 vouchers for a hearty American meal at Let’s Meat. (Let’s Meat pic)

Among those Let’s Meat worked with for this campaign is Spring Learning Centre, a refugee school registered under the UN High Commission for Refugees.

The school is a safe haven for Burmese and Rohingya children, who can now dream about their future and learn in a safe environment, away from the ongoing horrors of ethnic cleansing that forced them out of their hometowns.

A group of Rohingya children at Spring Learning Centre. (Spring Learning Centre pic)

Let’s Meat is also sending shoeboxes to St Joseph’s Home, Crystal Family Home, Shammah Children Home and Shan’s Home.

Ho explains that they initially intended for the campaign to focus solely on Rohingya refugee children but that the opportunity to give to more homes presented itself within a few days after the announcement of their shoebox campaign.

The gift of giving spread joy among the donors themselves, who registered their happiness at being able to help the needy. (Let’s Meat pic)

Through the overwhelming support from their community of caring customers, Ho says Let’s Meat was flooded with shoebox donations and were rapidly running out of gift tags.

While being able to bring joy into the lives of children, Let’s Meat also sees this campaign as an important reminder to their community about the importance of helping one another.

Nestled within a housing area, Let’s Meat is surrounded by a strong sense of community.

“The bigger impact comes with the community’s awareness about people in need and about instilling a sense of generosity in those who live around here,” says Ho, adding that the ultimate goal was in creating awareness about the need to spread kindness and generosity to those who need it most.

Let’s Meat Restaurant
18, Lebuh Lembah Permai 4
Tanjung Tokong
11200 Tanjung Bungah
Pulau Pinang

Contact: 016-2154234