More than 3,000 lower-income residents to get free warm meals under new programme by OCBC and North East CDC

Mr Masagos Zulkifli (in grey), Minister for Social and Family Development and Adviser to Tampines GRC Grassroots Organisations, Mr Baey Yam Keng (in teal-blue), Mayor of North East District, Minister of State for Transport, and Culture, Community and Youth, and Adviser to Tampines GRC Grassroots Organisations, Ms Koh Ching Ching (in red), Head of Group Brand and Communications, OCBC at the launch of the Warm Meals @ North East programme. They were accompanied by Mr Zainul Arifin bin Sulong (in black) with his wife Mdm Nurazlina Rahmat and their two children.

At a glance

• OCBC and North East CDC launched Warm Meals @ North East, supported by a combined $500,000 commitment with support from the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)
• 1,000 lower-income households across Tampines, Punggol and Pasir Ris-Changi will receive $500 in meal credits to redeem free warm meals
• The programme will provide 165,000 freshly prepared, halal certified and nutritionally balanced meals over one year

Singapore, 21 August 2026 – More than 3,000 residents from 1,000 lower-income households in Tampines, Punggol and Pasir Ris-Changi towns will be able to get free warm and nutritious meals from food lockers conveniently located near their homes. ‘Warm Meals @ North East’ is a new community programme funded by a combined $500,000 from OCBC and the North East Community Development Council (North East CDC). This new programme will provide 165,000 warm meals across a one-year period, starting from September.

Warm Meals @ North East was officially launched today by Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development and Adviser to Tampines GRC Grassroots Organisations, together with Mr Baey Yam Keng, Mayor of North East District, Minister of State for Transport, and Culture, Community and Youth, and Adviser to Tampines GRC Grassroots Organisations, and Ms Koh Ching Ching, Head of Group Brand and Communications, OCBC.

Many of these families want to prepare regular meals at home but face practical challenges such as caregiving responsibilities, irregular work schedules, and other time-sensitive commitments. Warm Meals @ North East strengthens existing support by providing an additional option for a warm, nutritious meal on days when they need greater convenience.

Building on its initial rollout in Tampines, Punggol and Pasir Ris-Changi, Warm Meals @ North East will be expanded to reach more lower-income households across the North East District.

Warm nutritious meals, just a QR scan away

Under the programme, each participating household will receive $500 in meal credits, equivalent to approximately 165 meals. The credits will be disbursed progressively from September 2026 and credited to the beneficiaries’ account through a mobile app.

The credits can be used at about 30 food lockers located at or nearby the void decks of HDB rental blocks across Tampines, Punggol and Pasir Ris-Changi. Using a simple QR code scan via the app, households can redeem the warm meals during lunch and dinner redemption windows; which are usually available from 12pm to 3pm for lunch and 5pm to 8pm for dinner - barring any unforeseen operational requirements. As meals are prepared fresh daily and shortly before each service period, the three-hour redemption window is intentionally kept short to ensure quality and freshness.

The food lockers offer a wide-selection of halal-certified and nutritionally balanced meal options spanning different cuisines, catering to the diverse tastes and dietary needs. The meals contain a balanced mix of protein, vegetables and carbohydrates to support a healthy diet. Menu options include creamy spaghetti with roasted chicken, stir-fried chicken udon, rendang chicken, vegetarian tofu with mushroom sauce rice and teriyaki fish rice. The menu is rotated regularly to provide variety and cater to diverse tastes and dietary needs, with meal offerings reviewed and refreshed based on beneficiaries' preferences and feedback.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development and Adviser to Tampines GRC Grassroots Organisations, said: “We thank OCBC and North East CDC for stepping forward to provide additional support for families in Tampines, Punggol and Pasir Ris complementing what MSF already does through ComLink+ and Comcare. This is what ‘Better Starts with Us' is about – each of us doing our part, and partners coming together to support families in practical and meaningful ways. Home-cooked meals remain important for many families. But some families may appreciate the convenience where Warm Meals @ North East hopes to fill the gap. Together with our partners, we can strengthen our support for families and give every family a better start.”

Mr Baey Yam Keng, Mayor of North East District, Minister of State for Transport, and Culture, Community and Youth, and Adviser to Tampines GRC Grassroots Organisations, said: “Access to nutritious food is a fundamental need for every family. Through our partnership with OCBC and MSF, we are able to provide meaningful support that responds directly to the concerns raised by residents about getting food that is good for them. This initiative is a direct response to residents’ needs, and we hope to ease daily pressures and strengthen the support ecosystem available to lower-income households in our community.”

Ms Koh Ching Ching, Head of Group Brand and Communications, OCBC, said, “No family should have to worry about where their next warm, wholesome meal will come from. That is why partnering MSF and North East CDC to support lower-income families was a natural choice for us. At the heart of the #OCBCCares programme is a simple belief: To make a meaningful difference and create tangible impact in the lives of those around us and the communities we call home.”