INCLUSIVITY & INTEGRATION

Over $9 million raised for CFS’s Sayang Sayang Fund benefitting over 130,000 beneficiaries

The Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) launched the Sayang Sayang Fund (SSF) in Feb 2020 as an emergency response fund, aimed to benefit Singapore’s underserved communities impacted by COVID-19.As a result of the keen generosity from Singapore’s general public, over $9 million had been raised, enabling the SSF to expand its scope to support nine initiatives to ensure that the most vulnerable in Singapore’s communities did not fall through the cracks. This was made po

Three rising economic identities of women

The world is far from being equal and fair for women, and the Covid-19 crisis has amplified this disparity.As the global Covid-19 vaccine roll-out promises light at the end of the tunnel, the world is still accounting for the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on women and, consequently, the sacrifices they have made during this time – whether it is at work or at home. Read Next Singapore recognises this and has declared 2021 as the Year of Celebrating SG

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Dipa Swaminathan on what we can each do for Singapore’s migrant workers

Dipa Swaminathan is a force of nature. At 49, the Harvard-educated lawyer is an assistant general counsel for SingTel and the founder of ItsRainingRaincoats, an organisation created in 2015 to support migrant workers in Singapore and champion their cause. As the recipient of the President’s Award for philanthropy and volunteerism in 2017, Swaminathan knows a thing or two about advocating for a marginalised group—in particular, one that has built our nation from the ground u

A diverse group of children and adults, all wearing masks, gather together in a united display of safety and responsibility.

The CDA top-up programme: Giving support to pre-school children from low-income families

Pre-schools are especially essential in providing a solid foundation for children to get an education, and to also build confidence and impart social skills, which will stay with them for life. As such, The Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) is partnering with EtonHouse Community Fund (ECF) and the Ministry of Education (MOE) on a Child Development Account (CDA) top-up programme which will benefit around 1,300 pre-schoolers from low-income families this year.This programme

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Charitable funds boost donations in a tough year for giving

SINGAPORE – More wealthy people are setting up charitable funds that give at least six-figure sums to their chosen causes.There were 143 donor-advised funds set up with the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS), disbursing $20.2 million to charitable causes in the non-profit organisation’s financial year that ended in March. Read Next This is double the 70 funds giving out $11.7 million in the financial year that ended in March 2015.Donors pledge at lea

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Supporting ITE Students through COVID

As many as 80 percent of ITE students come from low-income families and are receiving bursaries from the government. Kintan Teo is one of them. Her family of four survived on just $800 a month before COVID-19 struck. Her mother, the sole breadwinner, was working as a cleaner.When Kintan’s mother lost her job in April, the family had to use whatever meagre savings they had to get by. While Kintan’s mother sold baked and cooked food to generate someincome, her earnings were s

Group of individuals in front of warehouse with boxes.

The REDAS Solidarity Project Fund: Caring for migrant workers affected by COVID-19

Among the vulnerable communities in Singapore impacted by COVID-19, it is the community of migrant workers who have toiled invisibly to help build our nation that has been very heavily affected. Infection amongst their community has been widespread, and a large number of them are confined to their dormitories, unable to leave.It is thus very encouraging that the Singapore government and many other organisations have stepped up to give assistance and support to them in their iso

School children walking on the pavement.

COVID-19: Community Foundation of Singapore commits up to S$300,000 to extend student meal subsidies during circuit breaker

SINGAPORE: The Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) has committed up to S$300,000 in funding to extend the Recess@Home programme until the end of the “circuit breaker” on Jun 1, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said on Thursday (May 14). Read Next Speaking after the association’s annual general meeting at Kallang Netball Centre on Friday, Liang-Lin, a fund manager for a US$7 billion (S$9.5 billion) firm focused on green real estate investments in Asia

Happy group of individuals posing with a 'home' sign.

Helping migrant workers with a home and a heart

When Li Meimei*, a single mother of two young children from Chongqing, China came to Singapore last year, she had hoped to be able to work to pay off the loan of RMB 200,000 (SGD 40,000) which she had taken out in her home country.However, she got far more than she had bargained for when she started working for a beauty and massage parlour in Singapore. Not only did Li have to pay kickback to her employer, she was also coerced to perform illicit acts for customers. When Li refu

CEO Catherine Loh goes on MONEY FM 89.3 to speak about the Sayang Sayang Fund with Michelle Martin

Michelle: Let’s start with CFS and the work that it does. How does it support charities and why did the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) start the Sayang Sayang Fund?Catherine: The Community Foundation of Singapore is also a charity. We were founded in 2008, and our main objective is to inspire philanthropy in Singapore. We do that by helping donors achieve a greater impact with their giving in communities through charitable funds. Do