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Around 7,000 school children in need of support for meals
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Around 7,000 school children in need of support for meals

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Children happily sitting on the floor, smiling and radiating joy.

A four-week ‘circuit breaker’ is the latest challenge to hit Singapore, as a pre-emptive strategy to curb the spread of COVID-19. As students transition to over three weeks of learning at home, about 7,000 children will miss access to food they would normally get in school, compounding difficulties in continuing their education at home.

As mentioned in Parliament by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Mr Heng Swee Keat on 7 April 2020, CFS today bolstered efforts to generate support for the Sayang Sayang Fund (SSF). Donations to this fund will complement the work of local public health, non-profit and government entities with emergency support.

CFS now seeks another $3 million for the SSF, to meet evolving and urgent needs of the community. This includes the launch of Recess@Home, a meal programme that will provide disadvantaged students with support for their meals and ensure that children do not go hungry.

Speaking on the SSF, Chief Executive Officer of the Community Foundation of Singapore, Ms Catherine Loh shared, “During these tough times, we hope that the Sayang Sayang Fund will be able to provide immediate and longer-term support not just for the frontline workers but also the vulnerable groups like low-income families and elderly. With programmes such as Recess@Home, we want to help the children whose families are already dealing with many other difficulties due to the COVID-19 crisis. The Community Foundation of Singapore and the Sayang Sayang Fund remain sensitive to the needs of the community and we urge everyone to rally together to overcome this challenging period.”

CFS raised $1.1 million earlier after the launch of SSF in February. However, the increasing severity of the COVID-19 situation and more adverse impact on the economy and society have seen a surge in the demand for charity services.

Donors wishing to donate can do so via PayNow or visit our SSF campaign at giving.sg. Should you require any assistance or if you would like to set up your personal giving campaign in support of the SSF, please visit https://www.cf.org.sg/ or contact us at contactus@cf.org.sg.

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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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Opinion

Accessing Quality Education: A Boost for the Last Leg

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A photo of individuals wearing face masks, posing together for a group picture

As a follow-up to our last story, we now take a look at children as the next generation, and how we can empower them through philanthropy to be further educated.

Education is the great equaliser, as the old adage goes. Coined by American public education pioneer Horace Mann in 1848, education was seen as the tool for the disadvantaged to basically find better jobs and lift themselves out of poverty. For the last almost 200 years, that has remained largely true.

However, when an individual’s educational journey begins, factors such as the quality of education received and extracurricular resources have resulted in education itself being a source of inequality in society.

Which brings us to the maxim that “one has to spend money to make money”. In Singapore, preschool education, extra tuition, coaching lessons and post-secondary education all cost money (Dollars and Sense, 2022 and MoneySmart, 2022). Not every family will be able to afford that for their children.

The Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) supports programmes which boost the pre-, primary and secondary school education of children and youth from challenging backgrounds. It is important, however, that these minds continue to be nurtured as far as possible; not just for the sake of the youth and their families, but also for the sake of society, in which these youths will hopefully become contributing members.

For the families, the primary reason is that the higher an educational qualification one has, the stronger one’s earning power (Ministry of Manpower, 2021), enabling them to break out of the poverty cycle.

At a societal level, Singapore needs to maintain its highly skilled and educated workforce, which is what helps to keep our economy so competitive on the global landscape (EDB, 2022). To do this, it is imperative, as maintained by Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, that the relevant skills are imparted, including through tertiary and continued education (The Straits Times, 2022).

It is heartening to know that many donors with CFS have chosen and continue to support the tertiary education of youths: from financial assistance for living expenses for Institute of Technical Education (ITE) students and study grants at polytechnics to awards and scholarships at universities, and more.

The late President Mr Nathan himself was a staunch supporter of helping tertiary students in need. The S R Nathan Education Upliftment Fund (SRNEUF) was set up 11 years ago and has supported over 1,600 students since, including students from ITE, various polytechnics, the National University of Singapore and Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS).

“The SRNEUF believes in supporting youth from under-privileged backgrounds, giving them the chance to continue with their higher education so as to better realise their potential,” says Mr Bobby Chin, Grant Advisory Committee Chairman of the SRNEUF. “We are happy to have supported hundreds of youths over the years to further their education.”

One such SRNEUF beneficiary is SUSS student Iqbal, who aspires to be a social worker focusing on helping youth-at-risk or supporting the medical field. He shares that the study grant benefited him tremendously, helping his family with household expenses and allowing him to be more independent.

His cohort mate Pearlyn, also a SRNEUF beneficiary, reveals her dream to extend her help to society, after being inspired by the help from others that her family received during a crisis in 2020. On top of studying, she is tutoring primary school children to relieve the burden on her parents. She too expresses huge gratitude for the financial assistance from the SRNEUF.

Another CFS donor, who prefers anonymity, has been supporting ITE students with financial assistance for tuition fees, essential living expenses and even provided laptops. They also continued their support for ITE students who have gotten into polytechnics.

Jonathan Siong, one of their beneficiaries, shared: “When the pandemic hit, times were hard for many foreign students like myself, and my family was struggling. However, the donors helped me when I needed it the most. Without them, my education path would have stopped right at ITE.” He says that words cannot describe how thankful he is for their support and he hopes to become successful and in turn give back to the community.

Expressing her personal thanks to her benefactors, ITE alumna Chow Ying Shu, appreciates their contribution to her education as it helps to reduce her financial burdens, which in turn allows her to focus on her studies. She is currently pursuing her diploma in Hotel Management with their support. “This makes my goals that much more reachable,” she says, adding that their generosity will motivate her and serve as a reminder to always give back to society whenever she can in the future.

CFS appreciates all donors who are supporting youth from disadvantaged backgrounds in achieving their dreams and maximising their potential. Thanks to them, the future of the students as well as the Singaporean community looks a lot brighter.

To find out how you can support tertiary students from challenging backgrounds rise above adversity, please visit https://www.cf.org.sg/giving/ways-to-give/.

This article was written CFS Principal Consultant Reutens-Tan. He is an experienced sustainability advocate and practitioner, working closely with charities to build thriving communities, which he believes is key to a sustainable Singapore.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of CFS or its members.

References

Dollars and Sense. (12 January 2022). How Much Do You Need To Afford A Full-Time Polytechnic Course In Singapore? https://dollarsandsense.sg/cost-guide-how-much-do-you-need-to-afford-a-full-time-polytechnic-course-in-singapore/  

Ministry of Manpower. (June 2021). Median Gross Monthly Income from Work (Including Employer CPF) of Full-Time Employed Residents Aged Fifteen Years and Over by Highest Qualification Attained, Age and Sex. https://stats.mom.gov.sg/iMAS_Tables1/LabourForce/LabourForce_2021/mrsd_2021LabourForce_T25.xlsx 

MoneySmart. (15 June 2022). NUS, NTU, SMU & Other Singapore University Degrees – How Much Do They Cost in 2022? https://blog.moneysmart.sg/education/singapore-university-education-cost/ 

Singapore Economic Development Board. (1 July 2022). World-class talent. https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/why-singapore/world-class-talent.html 

The Straits Times. (27 April 2022). Skills training must improve on 4 fronts for S’pore workforce to stay competitive: Chan Chun Sing. https://str.sg/w86n

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Opinion

Speech by CEO Catherine Loh at CFS’s 10th anniversary celebrations

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CEO Catherine Loh giving a speech

Minister Grace Fu, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

The power of informed giving
It’s wonderful to see so many of you here this evening. Thank you for taking the time to join us as CFS celebrates its 10th anniversary.

This is an exciting moment in CFS’s history. When I joined CFS six years ago, we had just survived our first few years as a startup. There was an air of promise as we reached out to more donors, but we had much to prove. In those early years, we didn’t have any marketing. Our donors grew mainly through introductions by the Board and Committee Members and recommendations by existing donors.

Fortunately, CFS has grown over the years to have a much wider reach in the public sphere. Today, CFS has achieved 113 donor funds, raised over $100 million and disbursed over $60 million to over 400 charitable organisations in Singapore.

If we consider the reasons for our success, I believe CFS has been able to earn the trust of donors who not only want to give more, but also want to give well.

By our very nature, a community foundation is a neutral body that can offer donors strategic advice, and a more insightful overview of community needs. As a bridge-builder, we can pool together local resources and channel resources into long-term impact. It also helps that we can work across all sectors, from social work to education to health, to arts and sports, heritage, the environment to even animals.

The entrance of a community foundation like CFS has transformed how philanthropy is approached. We have introduced new models of giving, to respond to an increasingly complex social landscape. We have championed philanthropy based on community needs, because we understand the power of informed giving.

Of course, our success in championing informed giving would not be possible without our charity partners. They work tirelessly on countless programmes that expand the possibilities of how donors can give well – whether it’s piloting new programmes or scaling programmes that have delivered clear impact.

Yet for philanthropy in Singapore to thrive, public-private support needs to work hand-in-hand to address the evolving needs of the community. Hence CFS has been successful in building trust and meaningful relationships between donors, charities and the public sector. A strong and developed philanthropy ecosystem is crucial to ensuring sustainable and impactful funding support.

A new generation of philanthropists
We are also glad to see a new generation of philanthropists who are taking on a more active role as agents of change. Singaporeans have become increasingly conscious and involved in social issues. Giving back now no longer begins at retirement, as many of our donors are still active in their professions, with many below 50. Donors are also becoming increasingly sophisticated. Many exhibit gumption to take on meaningful projects, a willingness to explore collaboration with a keen focus on impact.

But many of our donors are silent heroes, giving generously in the background. That’s why I’m particularly glad to see some of our donors sharing their stories on a larger platform.

Take for example CFS donor and board member Mr Keith Chua. His great-grandmother Mrs Lee Choon Guan supported education in the early 1900s for women and girls, at a time when education wasn’t always an option for them.

Today, Mr Chua continues her legacy of giving through a charitable fund with CFS. Following in her footsteps, he is making education and healthcare some of the key areas he supports. Mr Chua’s family reminds us that acts of giving may not just bear fruit in our lifetime, but can also leave a lasting legacy for future generations

I would like to encourage more of you to take the next steps in your giving journeys or step up to share your stories of giving – if only to inspire and encourage a bigger and broader community of givers, including the next generation.

The next phase
We are truly encouraged by the growth of effective philanthropy over the last decade. But I believe we are still only at the beginning of our journey to promote and facilitate meaningful giving.

While Singapore has progressed rapidly, the social challenges we face, from an ageing population to social inequality, have become more complex and interconnected. While the government tackles social issues on a large scale, there are always gaps that are in need of more support. It’s crucial for philanthropy to evolve to tackle these diverse issues within our community innovatively. Here’s how CFS plans to approach it:

Social problems are usually too large and complex for anyone to tackle them individually. Through initiatives such as Colabs and the Singapore Youth Impact Collective, CFS brings together various stakeholders to collaborate and co-create solutions to make greater impact.

We encourage donors to think about creating a legacy as living a life of generosity and making meaningful impact. Our legacy giving offering will be further formalised into an approach that can help donors address the needs of the community over the longer term.

The future of philanthropy includes an increasing focus on tracking to help us better assess the impact made on the community. So we hope to influence more charity partners to incorporate output and outcome tracking in their programmes.

In the years ahead, as CFS continues to spearhead philanthropy, I am hopeful that more people will come to embrace the culture of giving, as it is integral to building a more caring and cohesive nation.

I wish to thank MCCY for its support of CFS, for helping us grow a giving culture to benefit all Singaporeans and to raise the professionalism of our sector.

To our donors, thank you for your trust and generosity that has opened doors of opportunity for so many in our community.

To our charity partners – thank you for your inspiring work. We’re grateful for your dedication in creating programmes that truly make a difference.

My gratitude goes out to the CFS Board and committee members – past and present – for your vision and guidance that has shaped CFS to the organisation we are today. Special mention and thanks to four of our founding Board Members– Ms Madeleine Lee, our first Investment Committee Chairperson. She was instrumental in developing our investment mandate and establishing our investment portfolio, which has outperformed its benchmark since inception. Thanks also to Mr David Lim, our first legal advisor who drafted our M&AA. My thanks and appreciation to Mr Yeoh Oon Jin, our first Audit Chair for setting up our very rigorous audit framework. I would also like to thank Dr Mary Ann Tsao, who together with Laurence, has contributed enormously to CFS’s grantmaking expertise as well as our understanding of community needs. Having proper governance, accountability and professionalism is crucial to gaining the trust of our donors and ensuring that their donations go to those in need of funding.

I would also like to pay tribute to Mr Stanley Tan and Mr Laurence Lien, two individuals who have guided CFS to where we are today. Both Stanley and Laurence are deeply motivated by their belief that philanthropy can play an instrumental role in creating change. I am honoured to have been able to work with both gentlemen, building on their knowledge and experience, and growing the organisation they started.

Last but not least, a big thanks to my team, the people behind CFS, for your hard work, professionalism and dedication, thank you for bringing your best to CFS every day.

To everyone who believed in us when CFS first started 10 years ago, thank you for being the bold frontrunners in our journey.

We look forward to your continued belief in us to build a more cohesive and caring Singapore.

Catherine Loh
CEO
Community Foundation of Singapore

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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

约230名年长者参加益智桌游赛 用颜色与数字一较高下

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An image capturing a lively game of dominoes being played by a group of individuals, highlighting their enjoyment and competitive spirit.

A Rummikub competition was held on 20th September at Heartbeat@Bedok, bringing together participants from 20 Active Ageing Centres. Rummikub, also known as “Israeli Mahjong,” is a cognitive tabletop game. 

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/.

全神贯注,不容一丝疏忽。约230名年长者齐聚一堂,用颜色和数字一较高下。

拉密牌(Rummikub)也称“以色列麻将”,是一种益智桌上游戏。游戏者须依规则将手上的牌组成相同数字、不同颜色,或颜色相同、数字连续的组合来出牌,最先将手上的牌出完者获胜。

这场别开生面的拉密牌竞赛星期六(9月30日)在勿洛心动大厦举行,活动集结了20个活跃乐龄中心的年长者,其中15个中心参加了正式比赛,另外五个以休闲形式参与。两轮预赛各三回,总决赛共四回。

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”。

胡锦盛说,原本只想以休闲形式参与星期六的活动,但后来玩得起劲,决定卯足全力参赛。他坦言,首次参赛有点紧张,在玩得开心、动动脑筋之余,也希望可以获得第一名,最后赢了预赛两个回合。“比赛压力很大,有时限所以反应要很快,不能想太久的,还好我跟得上。”

比赛由城市丰收关怀服务社举办,并得到护联中心和新加坡社区基金会联合成立的“FUN! Fund”基金支持,致力于改善年长者面对的社交孤立现象。因此,比赛如火如荼进行之际,也欢迎公众加入轻松玩乐,现场便有不少志工协助教导游戏规则。

26岁的洪琬晴(数据分析师)和27岁的何家富(业务分析师)是活动中最年轻的志工。他们通过公司星展银行的志愿服务门户网站报名参加,在活动中与年长者一同玩牌,也帮助有兴趣的公众认识这款游戏。

两人坦言,两周前上了三小时的课,才第一次正式接触拉密牌。他们说,拉密牌简单易学,年长者可轻松上手。为了让自己更熟悉游戏玩法,洪琬晴说,“我还请亲朋好友下载手机版的拉密牌,每天一起玩一小时”。

恩典之家社会服务中心的一组参赛者获得团体第一名。其中一名组员蓝彩凤(65岁,退休人士)也获得个人组第一名。她是在2019年冠病疫情开始前首次接触到拉密牌,疫情期间就几乎没玩了。

后经朋友介绍,蓝彩凤开始到恩典之家社会服务中心一起玩拉密牌。她坦言,参赛会有点紧张,两个多月前就开始跟其他参赛者每周练习一次,“第一次参赛就获得第一名,真的意想不到,参赛没想那么多,纯粹只是支持这个活动”。

国家发展部兼通讯及新闻部高级政务部长陈杰豪也出席了这场活动。他鼓励年长者保持身心愉悦,一起玩拉密牌、运动和聚会,“参与社区活动,共同安享晚年”。

信用:联合早报©新报业媒体有限公司。复制需要许可

This article was originally published in Zaobao here. Source: Zaobao © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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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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Events

International Women’s Forum Singapore: Empowering young women for a better future

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They may come from disadvantaged families, juggling work with school, but that has not stopped them from pursuing their dreams or even helping others. For this, ten young women were presented with the 2016 International Women’s Forum (IWF)’s Education Grants on 30 September.

Managed by the Community Foundation of Singapore, the IWF Education Grants support young women who are currently pursuing a diploma or degree in local polytechnics or universities but face challenges in continuing their studies due to financial difficulties. Many come from low income families and need to work to pay school fees or supplement their household income.

Recipients are selected for their academic performance, as well as resilience and aspirations. During the selection process, the Education Grants Committee also highlighted that despite their difficult circumstances, many of the recipients still found time to give back to the community by taking part in voluntary work such as befriending the elderly and mentoring young children and teens.

At the dinner reception held at CapitaGreen and hosted by IWF Singapore leaders including Dr Aline Wong, Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Arfat Selvam, Saw Phaik Hwa, Chong Siak Ching, Carmee Lim, Goh Swee Chen and Doreen Liu, recipients and mentors mingled and exchanged anecdotes and advice. The young ladies also took to the floor to share their struggles with work and studies, for some the responsibility of caring for ill or unemployed parents and above all their unwavering quest for further education.

The IWF women leaders applauded the strength and determination shown by the recipients and invited them to be ambassadors at the IWF Singapore 20th Anniversary Conference in 2017 so that they can continue to be an inspiration to others. As part of the mentoring programme, IWF leaders will impart guidance, career counselling and life skills to empower these young ladies for the future.

At the 20th Anniversary Conference, the organisation hopes to raise $250,000 to enable and empower even more young women to change the outcomes of their lives as well as their families’.

About the International Women’s Forum

The International Women’s Forum is a singularly unique organisation comprised of more than 6,400 dynamic women leaders in 34 countries and 75 forums around the world. IWF members span careers, cultures and continents, however, they are wholly aligned in their commitment to building better global leadership.

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