HQ Capital’s Hong Kong office held its first volunteer day as part of the firm-wide HQ Capital Gives Back! Initiative.
Employees spent a half-day preparing a variety of vegetables for meal distribution at a local food station operated by Food Angel, a Hong Kong-based charity. Food Angel is a food rescue and food assistance program that collects edible surplus food that would otherwise be disposed of as trash. The team carefully prepared the food, following strict safety and health protocols, into delicious meals for people and families in need. Food Angel’s mission, which aligns closely with HQ Capital’s core values, is to reduce food waste, alleviate hunger, relieve poverty and educate the next generation on waste reduction and giving back to those in need.
“It was very meaningful to give back to the community and surprising to see how much food is wasted in a single day,” said Cheryl Li of HQ Capital’s private equity investment team. “We were inspired seeing how much it helps the less fortunate when food is properly distributed. In partnering with Food Angel, we are proud to be living our firm’s core values – contributing aid to people, communities and the environment.”
Since 2011, the food rescue program is estimated to have saved an average of 4,000kg of edible surplus food daily, from the 3,300 tons of food waste that is dumped into the local landfills every day. The food assistance program is estimated to serve over 6,000 nutritious hot meals and food packs to more than 100 charity partners across Hong Kong every day. The communities served include elderly citizens and children.
As part of its own initiative, HQ Capital donates leftover food from company lunches every week to avoid waste and feed those in need. The company also partners with suppliers who donate fruit trees for each fruit basket purchased to ensure a continued supply of food for all. Last year, each office raised money through employee donations to support local food drives in each community, including Food Angel.
“This event made us reflect on how even small efforts can make a difference to the less fortunate, simply by recycling what we don’t need,” said Jacob Chiu, Managing Director at HQ Capital. “We encourage our team to support community efforts and to be more considerate in our daily lives by thinking of the wider society.”
About Food Angel
Food Angel is a food rescue and food assistance program launched in 2011 by Bo Charity Foundation with the mission of “WASTE NOT, HUNGER NOT, WITH LOVE.” The program rescues edible surplus food from different sectors of the food industry that would otherwise be disposed of as waste. Following strict safety protocols, the rescued food items will then be prepared as nutritious hot meals in our central kitchen and be redistributed to serve the underprivileged communities in Hong Kong. Further information can be found at foodangel.org.hk.
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