Warming hearts with free 'hanging bread' and 'hanging sticky rice' for the needy in Ho Chi Minh City

In Ho Chi Minh City, people are familiar with this simple yet meaningful way of sharing. When someone buys a portion of food for themselves, they can pay for another portion to “hang” for the next person. And when someone needs it, they just stop by and receive it, without asking or thanking. This gentle way of giving started with “hanging rice”, “hanging noodles”, and now continues with loaves of bread, boxes of sticky rice, glasses of milk… all carrying the same message: giving is receiving joy.

Every morning, in front of the vegetarian sandwich shop at 61 Huynh Van Banh (Ho Chi Minh City), a small shelf is neatly placed with a simple inscription: “Here is bread to share - Anyone who needs it, please accept it, anyone who is kind, please hang more. Today there are: 14 sandwiches, 2 sticky rice”.

On the shelf, a free pot of iced tea is prepared for passersby. This familiar image has become a familiar, warm feature in the hearts of the neighborhood residents.

On an old wheelchair, Mr. Dang Thanh Tri (60 years old), who has been selling lottery tickets for more than 30 years, stopped to get a loaf of bread. Mr. Tri emotionally said: “I live alone, renting a temporary place to sell lottery tickets. Charitable places like this help me save one or two meals. I feel happy and warm-hearted.”

The idea of opening the "hanging bread" and "hanging sticky rice" models originated from Mr. Le Hieu Nghia, owner of Khoi vegetarian bread shop. Mr. Nghia shared that since December 2022, he and his wife started opening a chain of vegetarian bread shops and last August, they officially launched this humane model.

According to Mr. Nghia, many customers who buy bread leave 1-2 portions to “hang” for those in need. One day, a monk stopped by the shop and donated 1 million VND to make bread and sticky rice to give to the poor. And so on, one person after another, the kindness multiplied.

Currently, Mr. Nghia and his wife have maintained 5 points of sale following the model of both selling and "hanging" like that. On average, each point receives 30-40 portions of bread and sticky rice hanging every day. To ensure transparency, he also thought of a way to issue a consignment invoice for each "hanging" portion and print and stick it directly on the bread, helping the recipient feel secure that the food they hold in their hands is a sincere gift.

Ms. Quynh Thi Thanh (57 years old), a housekeeper, often stops by the shop on the way to work to have a cool drink and receive a free loaf of bread. She emotionally shared: “At first, I thought this bread was given by the shop, not knowing that other people bought it and sent it back to the shop. Those people are kind, they help and protect those who are in more difficult circumstances, which is a good thing.”

Ms. Tran Ngoc Hue is one of the people who regularly come to receive “hanging bread”. Her life is difficult, her husband unfortunately passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic, and her son is mentally disabled.

One time, she happened to pass by the shop and saw a sign that said “free bread”. She went in and asked the staff and was guided to receive the food. Mrs. Hue emotionally said: “I asked the staff and they said there was a sponsor, but I didn’t know who it was. Places like that are very meaningful. Many times when I had no money left in my pocket, I stopped by to get a loaf of bread to feed my children, it was very helpful.”

For Mrs. Hue, that simple loaf of bread not only helps her feel full during difficult days but is also a warm source of encouragement, giving her more faith in humanity in the big city.

Ms. Phan Huynh Cam Dao, representative of Khoi vegetarian bakery on Huynh Van Banh street, shared about the operation of the "hanging bread" and "hanging sticky rice" models: "These meals mainly come from customers who order bread in large quantities or regular customers who visit the shop often, they want to do charity work. We only act as a bridge of love, when customers leave bread and sticky rice for the needy, we will clearly write the quantity on the board. Whoever needs it just needs to report, we will prepare and deliver it to them."

Ms. Dao added that the idea of “shared bread, shared sticky rice” was inspired by simple images such as “hanging rice”, “hanging pho”… that had spread in the community. It was these simple kindnesses that inspired them to create the humane “shared bread” model as it is today.

Each portion of “hanging bread” or “hanging sticky rice” given away is carefully prepared by the restaurant with the right amount of fillings, vegetables, sauces, etc., just like the portion sold to customers. Because according to Ms. Dao, “when giving, it must be complete, so that the recipient feels appreciated.”

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/xa-hoi/am-long-banh-mi-treo-vaxoi-treo-mien-phi-cho-nguoi-kho-khan-o-tp-ho-chi-minh-20250827132628519.htm