Sailors from Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific and Navy Region Singapore participated in a community service project at Willing Hearts Soup Kitchen in Chai Chee, Singapore, Jan. 20.

Willing Hearts Soup Kitchen provides meals to low income families throughout Singapore by cooking and packaging three meals a day from early in the morning to late at night. Many local citizens volunteer to assist the kitchen, including U.S. Navy Sailors and their families stationed in Singapore.

Religious Program Specialist 1st Class Laneisha Tilton, one of the organizers for the volunteer event, said U.S. Navy personnel have volunteered at Willing Hearts Soup Kitchen for the last five years.

"It's one of our most popular community relations projects," said Tilton. "People who volunteer at Willing Hearts always come back with good things to say about their experiences. We even extend the opportunity to fleet Sailors who come in on port visits and they always tell us how rewarding it is."

Volunteering in the local community is often an enriching experience for Sailors and their families, especially when serving overseas. Volunteer activities allow for unique, intimate experiences with local people, fostering new friendships and cultural exchange.

Many of the recipients of the food from Willing Hearts Soup Kitchen are elderly Singaporeans who are unable to leave their homes. Other recipients are large families with young children and people with disabilities. Because of these difficulties, Willing Hearts delivers the food they make instead of serving from one central location. The facility uses only fresh meats and vegetables that are donated by local supermarkets from around the area.

"Once the food is cooked the volunteers put the meals together in a little box to be delivered," said Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Jalisa Charles. "One box contained rice, some sort of vegetables and a few pieces of chicken. We made an assembly line with other local volunteers to package them faster. It was a lot of fun and the food looked great."

Volunteer opportunities for U.S. Sailors in Singapore continue to be rewarding experiences. Tilton said among the completed surveys of participants, the Willing Hearts volunteer opportunity always receives high reviews.

"I think people have a good time when they volunteer at Willing Hearts because you can really see where your work is going," Tilton said. "You can see the delivery trucks are moving out fast and all of the local volunteers are working hard. It really gives you a sense of purpose and drive to get the job done while helping people at the same time. I don't think there's anything more rewarding than that."

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