Singapore is the second richest city in Asia, behind Tokyo, and the fifth richest in the world, according to the World’s Wealthiest Cities Report 2023 by wealth intelligence firm New World Wealth. Statistics vary, depending on the organisation conducting the study, but there is little doubt that Singapore boasts ostentatious riches within its borders.
Despite this, it may surprise people to learn that food insecurity continues to be a pressing issue. A 2020 study by The Food Bank Singapore found that 10.4 percent of 1,200 surveyed households experienced food insecurity at least once in the last 12 months.
It’s one reason Food From The Heart (FFTH) chair Ronald Stride believes that “there will be a need for a food distribution charity like FFTH for the foreseeable future”. The former banker, who calls Singapore home, has been with the organisation for over a decade after taking over the reins from co-founder Christine Laimer in 2011.
Charity isn’t new to him. Stride grew up in a charitable family and became actively involved with a charity in Chicago in his late 20s. “Since then, [my wife and I] have always helped charities and institutions such as museums. It’s important to give back to society if you want to be a person of responsibility,” says the 84-year-old.
From being historically dependent to the founder, the organisation has transformed into a sustainable enterprise, thanks to the policies and procedures implemented by Stride. He knew charities could only succeed in the long term if they were run like businesses. Today, FFTH is one of the city’s most well-known charities with a firm base of volunteers, many of whom have been with it from the beginning.
Stride also attributes its continued growth to digitalisation. “We diversified ways to source food items and developed new channels to distribute food to our beneficiaries,” he says.
Stride has a keen eye on the future but doesn’t believe in reinventing the wheel. He’s doubling down on the components that made FFTH the juggernaut it is today: a proper governance structure, knowledgeable and involved board of directors, effective financial controls, careful monitoring of its performance, and well-trained staff.
He has included one more in recent times—an emphasis on equality and diversity. He’s also now actively looking for a successor. “I can’t do this forever,” he says. Stride needs someone with dedication, passion, and a strong background in corporate governance.
And of course, a heart of gold.
