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Spreading the Holiday Cheer: CFS Contribute Year-End Meal to Melrose Home Residents & Staff
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Stories Of Impact

Stories Of Impact

Spreading the Holiday Cheer: CFS Contribute Year-End Meal to Melrose Home Residents & Staff

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As the year 2023 drew to a close and office parties were being planned, the staff at CFS decided to redirect their staff celebration budget from traditional year-end parties and gift exchanges. Instead, they chose to sponsor a special New Year’s Eve dinner for the children and youth of Melrose Home, and contributed by purchasing grocery vouchers, hoping to bring joy and warmth to them during the holiday season.

At CFS’s monthly Town Hall, representatives from Children’s Aid Society Ms Serlina Huang, Manager of Community Partnerships and Ms May Su Paing, Communications Executive from Children’s Aid Society, visited along with their colleagues from Melrose Home, Ms Michelle Chen, and Mr Timothy Pang. Together they offered the CFS team valuable insights into the home’s operations and needs, enhancing their understanding of how donor contributions can benefit the beneficiaries. Ms Tricia Lee, Director of Communications & Marketing at CFS then presented grocery vouchers that the CFS staff had contributed, to support the purchase of essential items for the residents of Melrose Home. 

Mr Alvin Goh, Executive Director of Children’s Aid Society shares, ‘We are grateful for this heartwarming gesture from the Community Foundation of Singapore and thank the CFS team for spreading the holiday cheer to our residents. It is heartwarming to see the community coming together to help improve the lives of those in challenging situations.’

Melrose Home, a service under the Children’s Aid Society (CAS), is a residential home for children and youths aged 6 to 21. Their residents have experienced challenging family circumstances or child protection issues that led to them being removed from their family homes. 

The organisation has been a CFS grantee since 2022, and our donors have generously contributed to supporting Melrose Home in its mission. CAS is currently appealing for donations to help transform its premises at Clementi Road into “Melrose Village”, which will enable residents to have more living space, and offer purpose-built facilities, advanced counselling and psychological services. To find out how you can contribute, visit https://www.cf.org.sg/giving/ways-to-give/ 

References:

https://childrensaidsociety.org.sg/melrose-home/

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The Straits Times – More wealthy donors setting up private charity funds

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More wealthy people are setting up private charity funds through which they can give away their riches, according to a foundation that helps such individuals set up the funds.

The Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) said it has seen the number of individual donors rise from seven in 2008 to 97 this year. Each of the funds must have at least $200,000.

The benefactors are getting younger, too. There was just one under the age of 50 in 2008 when the foundation was set up, but the number has soared to 39 this year.

The number of charity funds under the foundation’s care rose from seven in 2008 to 110 this year. A charity fund can support several causes over a longer period of time compared to a straight-up, one-time donation to a charity.

Said foundation chairman Laurence Lien: “We observe that donors are not waiting till retirement age to start thinking about philanthropy and giving back.”

The foundation was set up and registered as a charity in 2008 as a vehicle to boost philanthropy among Singapore’s growing number of millionaires. It helps the donors set up the funds, look for suitable beneficiaries and disburse the money over a period of time. The donors get to name their funds and decide what causes to support.

When the foundation started, five donors – three individuals, Swiss Bank UBS AG and the Khoo Foundation – gave $13 million in total to kick off the foundation.

The individuals were property developer Simon Cheong, retired businessman William Bird and businessman Stanley Tan.

The total donations raised by the foundation through these private charity funds crossed the $100 million mark this year.

From 2008 to 2013, the foundation handed out $12 million in grants to about 130 charities. By this year, it gave out five times more money – $60 million – to 400 charities.

Besides donating more money, donors are also asking more questions and getting involved by volunteering in the charities they give to, Mr Lien noted.

“Philanthropists today are increasingly sophisticated,” he said, adding: “They look for more involvement and greater accountability for their donations. They want to find out who they are truly helping and whether programmes can be sustained after funding ends.”

Such donations from wealthy individuals are expected to grow. “We think that there are many latent givers in Singapore – those who want to give more but do not know how, so they end up putting off their giving,” he said.

There are about 152,000 millionaires in Singapore, according to the Credit Suisse Research Institute’s 2017 Global Wealth Report. A millionaire is a person whose net worth – assets minus debt – is worth more than one million dollars.

The trend of more younger people donating to charity is not restricted to millionaires.

The National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC), the national body that promotes volunteerism and philanthropy, said its survey showed that those between 35 and 44 donate more than those in other age groups.

“The mid-lifers, dubbed as ‘Generation Stretched’, are still giving in spite of the various demands in life,” said NVPC chairman Mildred Tan.

While younger people may be donating more, she added: “We hope to motivate and encourage people to continue giving throughout their lives.”

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The competition was organised by City Harvest Community Services Association and received support from FUN! Fund, a Community Impact Fund jointly established by the Community Foundation of Singapore and the Agency for Integrated Care, with the aim of addressing social isolation among the elderly.

Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information & Ministry of National Development Mr Tan Kiat How attended the event. He encouraged the elderly to stay physically and mentally well, as well as urging them to participate in community activities and enjoy their golden years together.

Learn more about FUN! Fund at https://www.cf.org.sg/fun-fund/.

 

The programme provides the children with a non-threatening platform to connect with peers and have positive conversations. In addition, it exposes them to different people who can assist to broaden their perspectives.

L.S., a volunteer with the Reading Odyssey programme @ Spooner Road

中心“常胜将军”胡锦盛:比赛限时反应要快

现年92岁的胡锦盛是最年长的参赛者。自2017年退休后,他几乎每天都到活跃乐龄中心报到,从此爱上了玩拉密,每次可玩上三个小时,在中心是“常胜将军”。

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News

Sayang Sayang Fund – Let’s do more together!

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Healthcare professionals in scrubs engaged in a variety of tasks.

The Sayang Sayang Fund has reached our initial target of $500,000!

A big thank you to our generous donors, who helped us reach this amount in less than seven days.

From the $500,000 raised, CFS will be distributing transport vouchers to healthcare institutions from 19 February 2020. Grants will also be distributed to charities that help disadvantaged individuals who have been further challenged by the heightened precautionary measures, such as vulnerable seniors and low income families.

The heart-warming outpouring of love and support has motivated us to extend our target to raise another $150,000, to support healthcare professionals like home care nurses, as well as those in nursing homes and shelters. The money will be used to appreciate these equally selfless heroes, who are committed to continuing their services for the vulnerable.

Launched on 11 February, CFS has designated the Sayang Sayang Fund a community impact fund that will support the vulnerable in our community during times of national crises.

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The competition was organised by City Harvest Community Services Association and received support from FUN! Fund, a Community Impact Fund jointly established by the Community Foundation of Singapore and the Agency for Integrated Care, with the aim of addressing social isolation among the elderly.

Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information & Ministry of National Development Mr Tan Kiat How attended the event. He encouraged the elderly to stay physically and mentally well, as well as urging them to participate in community activities and enjoy their golden years together.

Learn more about FUN! Fund at https://www.cf.org.sg/fun-fund/.

 

The programme provides the children with a non-threatening platform to connect with peers and have positive conversations. In addition, it exposes them to different people who can assist to broaden their perspectives.

L.S., a volunteer with the Reading Odyssey programme @ Spooner Road

中心“常胜将军”胡锦盛:比赛限时反应要快

现年92岁的胡锦盛是最年长的参赛者。自2017年退休后,他几乎每天都到活跃乐龄中心报到,从此爱上了玩拉密,每次可玩上三个小时,在中心是“常胜将军”。

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News

Lianhe Zaobao: More companies and individuals seeking professionals to manage their charitable funds

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新加坡社区基金会成立10年来,设立或管理的慈善基金从2008年的两 个增至今年2月的110个,而基金会筹获的善款也已达1亿元,发放的 款项达6000万元,惠及的慈善团体多达400个。

Song Huichun

随着国人对有效行善的意识提高,更多企业和个人善款捐赠者过 去10年来选择与专人合作,协助他们管理和发放善款给希望帮助的机 构或项目。

数据显示,捐赠者透过新加坡社区基金会(Community Foundation of Singapore)设立或管理的慈善基金从2008年的两个 增至2013年3月的47个,到了今年2月已增至110个,10年来增幅超过50 倍。

协助企业或个人捐赠者以可持续、妥善和具透明度的方式管理与 设立行善基金的新加坡社区基金会迈入第10年,多年来,基金会把捐 赠者与他们关注的相关慈善团体妥善配对,制定有效行善策略,让更 多有需要者受惠。

基金会总裁罗佩仪(50岁)接受《联合早报》访问并透露上述数 据时说,基金会成立之初希望做的是通过了解捐赠者关注的课题及行 善动力,协助发展出一套适合捐赠者的有效行善策略。

新加坡社区基金会在本地超过2000个慈善机构中找出适合捐赠 者资助的项目……找出不同群体的需求及捐赠者可提供协助的机会, 让捐赠者可更有效地施予援助,发挥更大影响力。”

罗佩仪说,在为捐赠者与慈善项目或机构进行配对时,捐赠者的 理念、兴趣、愿意承担风险的限度、拨款数额等都会影响基金会所做 的推荐。而基金会发挥的影响力,也随着更多国人了解以有效方式行 善何其重要后,逐年增加。

深入了解慈善机构运作 及善款影响力

基金会提供给本报的数据显示,截至2013年3月,基金会共筹到 5000万元善款,发放的款项约1200万元,惠及130个慈善伙伴。

而到了今年2月,基金会筹获的善款已达1亿元,发放的款项达 6000万元,惠及的慈善团体多达400个。

为了确保善款获得妥善运用,基金会也会深入了解慈善机构的运 作、领导班子、受惠人如何获益、财务状况、个别项目如何进行、有 多少资源、有没有执行能力等。基金会也会为捐赠者跟进汇报善款发 挥的影响力,以及使用后的结果等。

罗佩仪说:“企业一般上会觉得这样的模式很管用,因为他们必 须向股东汇报善款用途。”

她也说,基金会未来会继续透过讲座和活动接触更多群体,让各 方更了解基金会提供的服务。

运输业者发挥“专长” 让派发食物更有效

交通运输企业行善不忘发挥专业,出钱出力出车,协助非盈利组织有效地派发更多食物给有需要的人。

交通运输业者金钟集团(Goldbell Group)自2015年起成立金钟基金会,探讨如何在经营生意的同时尽社会企业责任,选择帮助真正需要帮助的人。

金钟财务服务私人有限公司执行董事蔡满榜(38岁)积极带领金钟集团履行企业社会责任,他受访时说,在和新加坡社区基金会合作行善之前,金钟集团一般都以零星方式回馈社会,有机会就帮忙,没有一个制式的行善结构。

在金钟基金会成立隔年,因刚好有一名新加坡社区基金会成员认识蔡满榜的父亲,从此,金钟集团就透过新加坡社区基金会从旁牵线和指引,确认行善计划和目的,帮助本身关注的群体。

金钟基金会和新加坡社区基金会展开合作初期,计划每年拨出30万元行善,而慈善团体“爱心食品”(Food From The Heart)是金钟基金会资助的团体之一。

蔡满榜说:“与该团体数次接触后,发现我个人的行善理念与他们的管理营运理念不谋而合,尤其是他们去找合作伙伴捐赠食品给他们要帮助的人,而不是花钱购买食品。”

在透过新加坡社区基金会促成更有效的合作之前,金钟集团已免费租借两辆有冷冻设备的卡车给“爱心食品”,方便他们载送易腐食品。

现在,金钟集团允诺资助“爱心食品”三年,支持该组织卡车队的营运和载送食品给有需要者所需的营运费用等。

如此一来,“爱心食品”就能更好地进行预算和营运规划,确保在金钟集团资助期间,有需者可持续获得食品援助。

除了“爱心食品”,金钟集团也资助过不少个别项目,包括绿色生活、援助有需要青年等。

Link to stories: Here and here.

Translation:

More companies and individuals seeking professionals to manage their charitable funds

In the 10 years since the Community Foundation of Singapore was established, the number of charitable funds set up or managed has increased from two in 2008 to 110 in February this year. The donations raised by the foundation have also reached $100 million, with $60 million distributed, benefiting up to 400 charities.
Song Huichun

As awareness of effective charitable giving increases, more corporate and individual donors have spent the past 10 years choosing to collaborate with dedicated professionals to help them manage and distribute charitable funds to the institutions or projects they wish to help.

According to statistics, charitable funds created or managed by donors through the Community Foundation of Singapore increased from two in 2008 to 47 in March 2013 and further increased to 110 in February this year. In 10 years, it has gone up more than 50 folds.

The Community Foundation of Singapore, which assists corporate or individual donors to manage and establish charitable funds in a sustainable, appropriate and transparent manner, is reaching its 10th year. Over the years, the Foundation has properly matched donors with the charities they care about, formulating effective strategies for good practices to benefit more people in need.

When CFS CEO Catherine Loh, 50, accepted the Zaobao interview, she disclosed the data above and added that the Foundation’s initial hope was to help develop a set of donor-friendly products by understanding donors’ concerns and the motivation to do good.

The Community Foundation of Singapore has identified programmes that are suitable for support from more than 2,000 charitable organisations in the country by identifying the needs of different groups to provide opportunities for assistance so that donors can more effectively provide assistance and make greater impact.

Ms Loh said that when pairing donors with charitable projects or institutions, the donor’s ideas, interests, willingness to take risks, the amount of funding, etc. all influence the Foundation’s recommendations. The influence of the Foundation is also gradually increasing as more people understand how important it is to be effective.

Learning more about charity operations and the impact of charitable funds

According to the data provided by the Foundation, as of March 2013, it had raised a total of $50 million in donations, with $12 million grants given out, benefiting 130 charitable partners.

In February this year, the donations raised by the Foundation reached $100 million, with grants amounting to $60 million, benefiting up to 400 charities.

In order to ensure the proper use of donations, the Foundation has an in-depth understanding of charity operations, leadership, impact on beneficiaries, financial status, how individual projects are run, how much resources they have, and whether they have executive capabilities. The Foundation also follow up with donors to report on the impact of charitable donations, as well as the outcomes.

Ms Loh said: “Companies generally feel that this model is very useful, because they must report to shareholders on the use of funds.”

She also said that in the future, the Foundation will continue to reach out to more groups through lectures and events so that all parties can better understand the services provided by the Foundation.

Transport operators use their expertise to make food delivery more effective

Transportation companies have not forgotten their professional role –  using their expertise and money to help non-profit organisations to effectively distribute food to those in need.

Transportation company Goldbell Group established the Goldbell Foundation in 2015 to explore how to conduct social responsibility while running their business and helping those in need.

Alex Chua, 38, Executive Director of Goldbell Financial Services Pte Ltd, actively led the Goldbell Group in fulfilling its corporate social responsibilities. During the interview, he said that prior to collaborating with the Community Foundation of Singapore, the Goldbell Group generally gave back to society in sporadic ways. If there’s an opportunity, they help, there was no structure for doing good.

In the year after the Goldbell Foundation was established, a member of the Community Foundation of Singapore who knew his father William Chua reached out to them. Since then, through guidance provided by the Community Foundation of Singapore, they have a philanthropic plan and goals, helping causes of their choice.

In the early stages of the collaboration between Goldbell Foundation and the Community Foundation of Singapore, it plans to set aside $300,000 a year to support charities, and charity Food from the Heart is one of the groups funded by the Goldbell Foundation.

Mr Chua said: “After several interactions with the organisation, I discovered that my concept of personal goodwill is in line with their management concept. In particular, they approach partners to donate food to the people they want to help, rather than spend money to buy food.”

Prior to promoting more effective collaboration through the Community Foundation of Singapore, the Goldbell Group has already rented two trucks with freezer equipment to Food from the Heart to facilitate the delivery of perishable foods.

Now Goldbell Group has promised to fund Food from the Heart for three years to support the operation of the truck fleet as well as the operating expenses required to transport food to beneficiaries.

As a result, Food from the Heart is able to better budget and plan its operations to ensure that those in need can continue to receive food assistance during the period the Goldbell Group is funding.

In addition to supporting Food from the Heart, Goldbell Group has also funded a number of individual projects, including environment projects, and providing help to young people.

Photo: Lianhe Zaobao

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Stories Of Impact

Why Support Sports with Philanthropy?

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While philanthropy traditionally focuses on providing direct aid to those in need, its impact extends far beyond mere charity. Singapore owes much of its early development to philanthropists who made social investments in infrastructure, systems and people. In the case of sports, it can also be a driving force for national bonding and societal progress, nurturing a society where every member can thrive.

Singapore Badminton Players Loh Kean Kew and Yeo Jia Min posing with donor Karim Family Foundation at badminton court
L to R: Martin Andrew (SBA), Loh Kean Yew, Grace Chiong (KFF), Cindy Karim (KFF), Yeo Jia Min, Ashley Chan (CFS), Darrel Lim (CFS), Alan Ow (SBA)

While philanthropy traditionally focuses on providing direct aid to those in need, its impact extends far beyond mere charity. Singapore owes much of its early development to philanthropists who made social investments in infrastructure, systems and people. In the case of sports, it can also be a driving force for national bonding and societal progress, nurturing a society where every member can thrive.

Sports can unite the nation. It goes beyond gender, age and other factors, and brings us together. During COVID-19, Loh Kean Yew won the Badminton World Federation World Championships. That gave Singapore a lift in spirits. It gave everyone something to cheer about while we were cooped up at home.

In addition to fostering a sense of national pride, achieving success at international competitions serves to enhance Singapore’s global reputation. A vibrant competitive sports scene not only offers youths an alternative avenue to success but also yields numerous trickle-down benefits for community sports. These include promoting healthy lifestyles, instilling discipline in young individuals, and inspiring communities to embrace active living.

“Traditionally, sports development might be viewed as a national duty and the responsibility of government bodies,” says Ms Cindy Karim, principal of the Karim Family Foundation, a philanthropic foundation which contributes to sports development, arts & culture, mental health, and education. The family believes that philanthropy paired with government efforts can have a multiplier effect.

Support from the Karim Family Foundation 

In late 2021, the Karim family approached CFS to explore ways to support sports in Singapore. Ms Karim says, “We felt a deep concern for the underrepresentation of Southeast Asian athletes on the global stage.” Together with her father Bachtiar Karim, mother Dewi Sukwanto and brother Chayadi Karim, she established the Karim Family Foundation with the support of CFS.

When Loh Kean Yew won the BWF World Championships in December 2021, the Karim family asked CFS to facilitate a $200,000 contribution to the champion to support him and celebrate his achievements. “It takes much courage and sacrifice to dedicate oneself to pursuing excellence in badminton as a career. We hope that with our support, our national shuttlers won’t have to worry too much about the financial aspect. We hope they can be duly rewarded and celebrated for their achievements and focus all their energy on writing their own success story in time to come,” says Ms Karim.

When asked why she and her family chose to support badminton, Ms Karim says, “Growing up between Indonesia and Singapore, we have always felt a strong affinity to badminton as a sport. It has become a personal passion and mission to make badminton more widely known in professional sports.”

Challenges in Competitive Badminton

The Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) is the governing body for badminton in Singapore. It oversees the development of competitive badminton in Singapore and is dedicated to nurturing talent. Mr Ow, the CEO of SBA explains, “To reach world-class competition standards, players need to train and participate in competitions to develop their skills. Because there is only a small pool of players to compete against in local tournaments, overseas tournaments are essential for exposure to a wide range of high-calibre competitors.” However, overseas competitions require resources. Teams need sports and conditioning coaches and physiotherapists to accompany them. Expenses such as airfares, accommodations and tournament entry fees add to the hefty cost. Aspiring players often have to bear some of these expenses personally, which can be a barrier to realising their full potential.

Training and competition expenses are not the only financial constraints that players have. To succeed, competitive players must put in the hours, which frequently means committing to half a day of training, six days a week. The high training demands mean players end up sacrificing their studies or work, which can add to the financial strain.

Nurturing Talent in a Conducive Environment

CFS works closely with charity partners and donors to identify underserved needs that align with donors’ philanthropic goals. Working closely with the Karim family and the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA), CFS helped structure a funding arrangement that drives impact and excellence for future badminton stars. In May 2023, the Karim Family Foundation (KFF) donated $600,000 to fund the KFF-SBA Players’ Development Programme for three years. “We wish to support SBA’s ambitious efforts to elevate the sport in Singapore and internationally, and to build a strong pipeline of players. Our funding of the Players’ Development Programme is aimed at grooming players and enabling them to have as much exposure as possible by competing at the highest levels internationally,” says Ms Karim. Mr Ow estimates that the grant from KFF supports training and expenses for overseas competitions and training camps for about 40 players. The increased funding is expected to enable players to compete in approximately 50% more tournaments a year.

In addition to funding the development programme, the Karim family also contributed to the local competition scene as title sponsors of the KFF Singapore Badminton Open 2023, which brings world-class players to Singapore. “Through the excitement and hype of the event, we hope it will inspire future players,” says Ms Karim of KFF’s philanthropic strategy.

Championing Philanthropy for Sports

We hope that our work starts a perpetuating cycle of giving and support, and that with more philanthropic organisations coming forward, our national sports can earn its place amongst the reputable, celebrated sports of the world. Enabling players to achieve greater heights on the global stage bolsters Singapore’s standing as a vibrant community with talent and opportunities. We hope that in the long run, this effort will bring more exposure to the emerging talents within Southeast Asian professional sports.

She adds, “The process of setting up a Donor Advised Fund with CFS is simple, and donors can leverage the CFS team’s network, knowledge and expertise to be introduced to the right organisation that aligns with their philanthropic priorities. Having this option helps lower the barriers to entry and makes philanthropy more accessible.”

The competition was organised by City Harvest Community Services Association and received support from FUN! Fund, a Community Impact Fund jointly established by the Community Foundation of Singapore and the Agency for Integrated Care, with the aim of addressing social isolation among the elderly.

Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information & Ministry of National Development Mr Tan Kiat How attended the event. He encouraged the elderly to stay physically and mentally well, as well as urging them to participate in community activities and enjoy their golden years together.

Learn more about FUN! Fund at https://www.cf.org.sg/fun-fund/.

 

The programme provides the children with a non-threatening platform to connect with peers and have positive conversations. In addition, it exposes them to different people who can assist to broaden their perspectives.

L.S., a volunteer with the Reading Odyssey programme @ Spooner Road

中心“常胜将军”胡锦盛:比赛限时反应要快

现年92岁的胡锦盛是最年长的参赛者。自2017年退休后,他几乎每天都到活跃乐龄中心报到,从此爱上了玩拉密,每次可玩上三个小时,在中心是“常胜将军”。

Picture of admin bluecube
admin bluecube

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book.

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