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Fewer homeless people sleeping on S’pore streets last year; city area has highest number

The number of homeless people in Singapore fell slightly last year, at a time when homelessness was on the rise in many countries amid the Covid-19 pandemic. But the issue of homelessness also became less visible, as more people who would have slept on the streets went to stay at temporary shelters. Read Next The competition was organised by City Harvest Community Services Association and received support from FUN! Fund, a Community Impact Fund jointly estab

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Why billionaires are setting up family offices in Singapore

Asia’s billionaires are getting ready to hand over to the next generation, and Singapore is benefiting from the rush to set up new or satellite family offices with an increased focus on philanthropy and impact investing.In recent months, Horizon Ventures, a private investment firm associated with Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing opened an outpost in Singapore.* Oppenheimer Generations, the family office of former De Beers chairman Nicky Oppenheimer, is also in Singapore whil

More philanthropy funds focusing on climate change needed: Reports

To support green causes and efforts to further climate action, Mr David Heng, chief executive of a private equity fund, set up the Mind the Gap 200 – Sustainable Earth fund in 2019.It is part of a project Mr Heng, who is in his 50s, undertook with nine friends and the Community Foundation of Singapore. Read Next The fund, which supports charities and programmes that address some of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals, is one of the few set u

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‘I thought I couldn’t go through any more of it’: Cancer patient gets help after insurer says ‘no’ to $33k bill

Good Samaritans have stepped forward to help a cancer patient, who hopes to spend more quality time with her 15-year-old daughter while keeping the disease at bay.The drug that Ms Koh Ee Miang, 45, needs to control the spread of her cancer is expensive, and her insurance company has refused to pay for it – leaving her with an outstanding bill of more than $33,000 for treatment carried out between November and January. Read Next Hard-pressed to pay for the d

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Bank of Singapore partners Community Foundation of Singapore to provide clients with philanthropy services

Bank of Singapore, the private banking subsidiary of OCBC Bank, has partnered with non-profit organisation Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) to provide its clients with philanthropic services. With this partnership, CFS will work with the bank’s clients to translate their interests, values and goals into philanthropic strategies that meet giving goals of the clients and match the needs of the local community. To develop these strategic giving plans, CFS will use insi

Law firm Rajah & Tann donates $225k to ST School Pocket Money Fund and Dementia Singapore

(From left) Dementia Singapore’s chief executive Jason Foo, ST Singapore editor Zakir Hussain, Community Foundation of Singapore chief executive Catherine Loh, R&T managing partner Patrick Ang and R&T Foundation chairperson Rebecca Chew.Law firm Rajah & Tann (R&T) has contributed $225,000 to The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund (STSPMF). Read Next The donation was part of the firm’s 45th anniversary celebration on Thursday (May 5) at

picture of loh kean yew holding his medal

Indonesia’s Karim Family Foundation raises S$200,000 to support badminton world champion Loh Kean Yew

An Indonesian tycoon’s family foundation, the Karim Family Foundation, has raised S$200,000 to support badminton player Loh Kean Yew, the first Singaporean to win the Badminton World Federation World Championships. The Karim Family Foundation – set up by the family of Indonesian tycoon Bachtiar Karim and his wife Dewi Sukwanto – wanted to congratulate Loh for his win at the championships in December 2021, according to Zaobao. Read Next Previously,

Four teachers recognised for excellence in early childhood, special needs education

Ms Sulochanah Kanapathy’s pupil was already four years old but he could not say a word.But Ms Sulochanah, 47, was determined to help, and taught the child with special needs to speak his first words. Read Next The teacher from Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Kindergarten went the extra mile by conducting home visits, giving the child additional teaching materials, and training his parents to better manage his learning.That incident from seven years ago drove her

Beyond cultural philanthropy: The art of making a difference

Last month’s Patron of the Arts event was a spot of sunlight at a time of gloomy Covid-19 headlines. The fact that Singaporeans – individuals as well as corporations – are still strongly supporting our arts groups in cash donations as well as with in-kind gifts was a heartening takeaway for everyone who cares for the arts and cultural scene in our country.The annual awards – alongside a similar counterpart in the heritage sector – are a meaningful way to thank those w

picture of lew chee beng and chua thian poh

Meet Singapore’s newer philanthropic foundations: They give millions, seeking to spark social change

Lew Chee Beng (left) founded the Lew Foundation in 2015, while Chua Thian Poh and his siblings set up the Chua Foundation in 2015.Self-made businessman Lew Chee Beng, 73, is giving away a substantial part of his fortune through a foundation. Since he founded the Lew Foundation in 2015, it has donated more than $12 million to charitable causes. Mr Yeo Puay Hin, the foundation’s executive director and Mr Lew’s son-in-law, said of his father-in-law: “He came from humble beginn