Hong Kong companies stepping up to do good amid the outbreak

Giving thanks to all medical staff for their hard work and dedication in keeping Hongkongers safe and healthy, Feather & Bone is now offering complimentary teas and FAB house-blend coffees for all healthcare workers, upon presentation of a medical ID. With several Feather & Bone outlets also boasting a grab-and-go window, medical professionals are provided easy access to take away a freshly-brewed tea or perfectly-roasted coffee of their choice. This small but heartwarming gesture can now be enjoyed at any of the brand’s outlets for both dine-in and takeaway.

Canto-pop legend Sam Hui performed live to millions of Hongkongers at Ocean Terminal Deck, Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui via a livestream concert on April 12. Over 3 million viewers tuned in via television and social media for the auspicious event. Funds raised from the show will be donated to the sound engineers of Tom Lee Engineering Ltd who have lost their jobs due to the current outbreak in the city. Sam Hui often worked with these sound engineers throughout his career including his first concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum in 1983. The concert was able to raise over $300,000 including the $250,000 donated by Hui. On April 16, Hui agreed to upload the concert on YouTube for a month so fans who missed the show can watch the stream. 

Impact HK is a Hong Kong-based charity that helps homeless people in the city to find shelter. When McDonald's suspended its evening dine-in services in Hong Kong, many homeless people who usually shelter in the establishment at night were left out in the streets. The incident led Impact HK to start a fundraising drive on the online platform SparkRaise to raise money so they could help those displaced in the streets. The organisation who initially asked $100,000 for donations was able to raise $600,000 in less than a week. And since then, Impact HK was able to obtain shelter for 46 homeless people. 

New World Development partnered up with eight different local NGOs in a #LoveWithoutBorders campaign to provide 10,000,000 free masks for those in need. Aiming to be available by the end of April, the New World's Mask-to-go dispensers will be installed in service centres designated by NGOs including St. James' Settlement, The Salvation Army, Hong Kong Lutheran Social Service, BGCA, Society for Community Organization, HKYWCA, The Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council, and ELCSS-HK. Redemption cards will be distributed to pre-registered beneficiaries by these NGOs. Cardholders may then scan their card's QR code at designated centres to receive a free pack of five masks. Redemption of masks can be done once a week for 10 weeks.

Two Hong Kong yoga instructors Doris Au-Yeung and Holly Wong held a 75-minute #namastayathome online class in Zoom last April 11 to help raise money for charity Impact HK. The online class designed for a yin yang type of yoga aimed to help people find balance and keep centred while facing today's life challenges. In addition to the fundraiser, the class remained free for medical workers as a show of appreciation for their efforts during the outbreak. Au-Yeung and Wong will once again hold another online yoga class on May 1, this time to raise funds for Women Helping Women, a non-profit organisation aimed at raising awareness on violence against underprivileged women and children.