Shangri-La Hotels Group in Penang Island Links Up with Lighthouse

The Shangri-La Group, a firm believer in the importance of corporate social responsibility, has taken up the meal sponsorship programme at the Lighthouse, a drop-in centre for the homeless in Penang to get meals.

Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa general manager Desmond Hatton said each of the three Shangri-La properties ( Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Golden Sands Resort, Traders Hotel ) in Penang Island would take turns to sponsor daily dinners every month for a year at the centre which also provides the homeless with basic bathroom, toilet and washing facilities for laundry.

The meals are provided at Lighthouse’s premises on Penang Road.

“Apart from meal sponsorship, the hotels will also make arrangements to donate linen, bath towels and slippers to the centre.

“We hope to help ease the burden of the poor and the destitute by contributing not just food but also the basic creature comforts in the form of blankets, beds and furniture in time to come,” Hatton said at the launch of the programme on Monday.

Separately, Penang Office for Human Development (POHD) acting chairman Gerard Robless said POHD had found a premises on Penang Road as a training and rehabilitation centre for the homeless.

“I hope state Health, Welfare, Caring and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh will assist us in the application for a licence to operate the centre,” he said.

The Lighthouse is a project of POHD which is the social arm of the Catholic Church’s Penang Diocese, and provide meals for about 120 daily.

The Lighthouse, which began operations in March 2003, also provides medical and counselling services twice a month to the needy and helps with job placements for the fit and able under its Lightworks programme.

On the appeal for a RM10mil federal funding for a project in south Seberang Prai to help the homeless, Phee said he will not give up nor give in until Penang was given the RM10mil federal allocation.

“I have just written to the Women, Family and Development Minister Senator Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil and will continue fighting until the shelter is built.

“What could be more important than providing a shelter for the homeless? We need a place to rebuild the self-confidence of these people, prepare them with proper training and put them back to contribute to the society,” Phee said.

Source : The Star