About 30 families with autistic children recently received food and daily essentials from OCBC Al-Amin Bank Berhad (OCBC Al-Amin) and Lions Club of Kuala Lumpur South as part of their joint effort to help the surrounding community overcome difficulties related to Covid-19.

The supplies reached the families through IDEAS Autism Centre, an early intervention initiative that offers a full-day service of quality care, therapy and education for autistic children from urban poor families. The Centre focuses on children aged 3 to 9, with the aim of building their independence so that they can enter the mainstream primary education system. Currently it manages 31 children through the IDEAS Autism Centre in Rawang.

The joint special relief programme was aimed at supporting affected families and the needy in the community by providing food – rice, cooking oil, Raya cookies – and other essential supplies including face masks and hand sanitisers.

According to Lions Club of Kuala Lumpur South President Mr James Tan and Organising Chairperson Ms Amanda Looi the collaboration with OCBC Al-Amin was crucial to assist the needy families in these challenging times.

“We are grateful to OCBC Al-Amin through their Wangsa Maju branch for their relentless support and commitment to assist the community amidst difficulties arising from Covid-19 as some of the breadwinners of these families have even lost their job.

“We hope our contribution brought some joy to the families. We are pleased to have done our little part to help our community and we hope this will help them tide through the current period,” they said.

Speaking on behalf of OCBC Al-Amin, its Wangsa Maju branch Senior Manager Ms Puteri Intan Sarah Razali said the Bank continues to strive to be more involved in the localities in which it operates and to become even more engaged in the community, going beyond simply providing superior banking products and services to meeting the social needs of the people as well.

“The social and economic effect of the global pandemic is hard for many and so we wanted to reach out to support our own community particularly those who have been deeply affected during this time of need. We are thankful to Lions Club of Kuala Lumpur South for being part of this relief programme for those in need,” she said.