CHARITY STORIES

Retired doctor donates $1m to start new donor-advised fund

Dr Chua, a retired doctor, 80, gave $1 million to start the Bamboo Lotus Fund with the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) in July after being inspired by another retiree’s donation of $1 million to start a charitable trust that he did the same thing.Describing himself as an “ordinary” general practitioner, and not a “highly paid medical specialist”, Dr Chua said: “I hope (my example) dispels the myth that only prominent individuals or corporate organisations can make significant donations. “To me, $1 million is a significant amount that will get others to notice and start to consider how much they can give too.”

Collaborative Giving to build Community Mental Health Champions

The Community Mental Health Champions Initiative, a collaborative project by the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) and Empact and supported by our corporate partner. It aims to recruit, train and retain 1,000 community mental health champions. Through this initiative, we will build a pool of mental health champions. These champions will actively support the sandwiched generation with a listening ear and signposting to professional services when needed – helping more people prevent or access support for mental health issues.The Community Mental Health Champions Initiative is carried out in two phases – Design Phase and Implementation Phase. During the design phase, eleven organisations will come together for a series of workshops to share their knowledge and build a collaborative understanding on issues regarding mental health and how to equip these champions. These eleven organisations are Be Kind SG, Bettr Lives, Caregivers Alliance, Community of Peer Support Specialists, Growthbeans, Loving Heart, O’Joy, Psychological Initiative, SG Assist, Singapore Anglican Community Services, Singapore University of Social Sciences.

Donor-advised funds can make a meaningful impact in Asia

Such funds give donors more say in the philanthropic process, and can lead to donors being tipped off about underfunded causes. These funds also make it possible for non-millionaires to do their bit.What do Jack Dorsey, Larry Page, Elon Musk, Jack Ma and Mark Zuckerberg have in common in terms of their charitable giving?

LIFT (Learning Initiatives for Employment) Community Impact Fund – Training and increasing employability for marginalised groups

The Learning Initiatives for Employment (LIFT) Community Impact Fund (CIF) from the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) provides social enterprise funding to enable disadvantaged groups to obtain training in order to be more employable.The funding provided has allowed two social enterprises, the Bettr Barista Coffee Academy and Dignity Kitchen develop a more standardised training programme for their students, as well as expand the number of training places available to aid more disadvantaged groups to enter the workforce.

LIFT (Learning Initiatives for Employment) Community Impact Fund – Turning lives around, one step at a time

Nothing in life prepares a youth for a negative doctor’s report.Four years ago, in his second year of polytechnic, Jerry Tan experienced a stroke caused by a brain aneurysm that paralysed the left side of his body. He had to undergo three brain surgeries as well as physical therapy, staying in the hospital for five to six months

10th Anniversary Edition – S R Nathan Education Upliftment Fund: How recipients turned their lives around with the gift of education

2021 marks a monumental turn of a chapter for the S R Nathan Education Upliftment Fund (SRNEUF). The fund that was set up by the late former president S R Nathan enters its 10th year of fruition and continues to fulfill its purpose of providing students financial ease to allow them to flourish in their studies.To celebrate this anniversary, students Arshad Supa’at and Danish Said shared how their lives changed for the better through the gift of education.

SR Nathan Education Upliftment Fund (SRNEUF) continues to transform lives in its 10th year

Former President of Singapore, the late SR Nathan established the SR Nathan Education Upliftment Fund (SRNEUF) in 2011 to provide financial assistance to students, ensuring that they remain in school and are able to further their higher education.Managed by CFS, the fund supports programmes such as the Monthly Financial Assistance Scheme (MFAS) by ITE, which gives allowance to underprivileged students for their transportation needs and meals, reducing their financial burden/challenges so that they can focus on their studies.

The S.S. Jhunjhnuwala Charity Fund: Honoring a Father’s Legacy

For CFS donor Mr Surya Jhunjhnuwala, the late patriarch Shyam Sundar Jhunjhnuwala who founded the Hind Group, was a devoted father and man of vision, passing on to his children the values of humility, hard work and honesty. These principles were ingrained into them at a young age and have guided his family through both good and challenging times.The S.S. Jhunjhnuwala Charity Fund was set up by the Hind Group to honour him. The Fund, managed by The Community Foundation of Singapore, is proof that S.S. Jhunjhnuwala’s legacy lives on, its grants supporting welfare initiatives and underprivileged women.

a portrait of a man with a wooden background

Learning Initiatives for Employment (LIFT): Transforming Lives for the better

At just 18 years old, Jeevan never imagined that he would find himself resigned to his fate in life.“Three years ago, I dropped out of school, did some things, and ended up on probation. At that point in time, I thought that this would be the end for me – this is how it’s going to be for the rest of my life,” recalls the young man.

All about legacy giving

LEGACY giving is not the prerogative of the ultra-wealthy alone. That is the mindset the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) wants to inculcate with its latest movement – the Legacy Giving Initiative (LGI) – which was launched by a campaign called A Greater Gift last November.According to a Social Pulse survey, while the majority of respondents (83 per cent) flagged awareness on what legacy giving is, only 33 per cent considered legacy as a means of giving, and just 3 per cent indicated they would take action.