SINGAPORE — When Mr Leong’s washing machine broke down, he had to depend on welfare organisations to help wash his clothes.

Heavily reliant on a wheelchair, living alone and poor, the 57-year-old was not able to wash his clothes by hand or pay to get the washing machine repaired.

This changed when online grocer Kindness Mart stepped in to foot the bill for repairs in December last year.

Kindness Mart, a social enterprise, was launched in October last year. It sells more than 140 brands of food and drink items, toiletries, beauty products and household supplies.

When customers buy any item from the online store, the money goes to helping people such as Mr Leong.

Mr Steven Goh, 40, its founder and managing director, said: “All of the proceeds are used to support the disadvantaged and needy, to pay the bills that they are unable to settle on their own.”

This charitable mission of Kindness Mart sets it apart from other online grocers, he told TODAY.

On Friday (March 29), the social enterprise launched a mobile application for Android devices. It plans to put out one for Apple devices in about two weeks.

WHAT MADE HIM DO THIS?

Mr Goh is also the founder and president of Helping Joy, a non-profit that provides services where 200 regular volunteers clean the homes of the physically disabled or befriend seniors who have no immediate family.

“Through Helping Joy, I discovered that there are many needy people who require help with services that they don’t have money to pay for, such as plumbing when their toilet bowl is choked,” he said.

His hands were tied as the funds and donations given to Helping Joy were not for such services, Mr Goh added.

This was what spurred him to start a social enterprise to address this need.

“I decided on this (online grocer) model because what we are selling are basic goods that can be bought and used by everyone, rather than some niche product.”

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Customers place orders on www.kindnessmart.com, pick a payment option such as Visa or Mastercard, and their orders will be delivered to their doorstep the next day.

Mr Goh said that the mart’s prices are comparable to those of other online grocers, and it offers free delivery for orders over S$50.

Money from the sales is then used to fund the needs of the underprivileged.

On its Facebook page, Kindness Mart also posts wish-lists from other social welfare organisations such as soup kitchen Willing Hearts and Ju Eng Home for Senior Citizens.

Members of the public can then sponsor items on the wish-list and Kindness Mart will consolidate and deliver the items to the organisation on their behalf, with a receipt stating the names of donors.

THE CHALLENGES

So far, a lack of publicity means that it is not raising enough money for its cause — there are at most 10 orders a day, with no orders on some days.

The social enterprise has been in the red due to the large initial capital required to procure the goods — Mr Goh declined to reveal what the amount was. He has also been using his own money to sustain the six-man operation.

The enterprise is not receiving any grants or financial assistance from the Government or any other organisation, he added.

WHAT DO CUSTOMERS SAY?

Mr Melvin Wong, 29, a senior marketing executive, said that shopping on Kindness Mart is similar to doing it on other online retailers, but the difference lies in knowing that the proceeds are used to help elders in need, for instance.

“I can find all the information about the help that it has provided on Facebook, so it’s very transparent,” Mr Wong added.

Madam Elizabeth Tan, 57, a homemaker, said: “The products are reasonably priced and the range is wide. In addition, it is the only online site that sells my favourite coffee from Kim Guan Guan, which is used in many coffee shops.

“Most importantly, it is also a way for me to give back to society by helping the less fortunate.”