YOUTH Archives

The Community Foundation of Singapore spreads greater love through effective use of charitable gifts

Catherine Loh, the CEO of the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS), recently spoke to Lianhe Zaobao to share more about the work the organisation is doing. CFS has over 13 years of expertise in philanthropy advisory, fund administration and grantmaking and has been recognised for its commitment to transparency and governance. Hence donors can be confident that their grants will help meet the evolving needs of the community – now and into the future.As shared by Ms Catherine Loh, the CEO of CFS: “With falling birth rates and a rising elderly population, philanthropy can focus more on the elderly in the coming years. While the government take cares of the basic needs, there is much that the general public can do to improve the quality of life of the elderly, give them dignity and allow them to have a meaningful and active third age.

2020 Annabel Pennefather Award winners Eunice and Wai Yhann: How perseverance and determination helped two young women become champion athletes

Every year on the 8th of March, the world celebrates the efforts and achievements of all women both past and present with International Women’s Day. This year, we honour a sports icon, lawyer and woman of the year in 2004 – the late Annabel Pennefather, who was a trailblazer in every sense of the word.Annabel was a former national hockey player, former Vice-President of Singapore National Olympic Council, former President of the Singapore Hockey Federation, a pioneer of women sports administrators in Singapore and a champion of women in sports globally.

people of different races and ages socializing and catching up at a local cafe.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way … to give a legacy

Where there’s a will, there’s a way … to give a legacy.
(Adapted from opening remarks at a Community Foundation of Singapore-LSPBS “Legacy Giving” Webinar on 1 September 2020.)Legacy giving is one of the best kept secrets in town. For many years now, I’ve often wondered why more charities had not jumped on the bandwagon of legacy
giving. Why aren’t charities proactive in encouraging individual donors to give legacies whether via wills, CPF nominations, or even insurance policies? Examples
abound overseas. I saw firsthand one such stellar example of a pro bono law firm utilizing this modality of legacy giving during our Law Society “Lawyers Go
Global” mission trip to Sydney in 2018.

A video conference with a central participant surrounded by a group of people engaged in a virtual meeting.

Lien Ber Luen on legacy giving and the Lien Shih Sheng Foundation

Lien Shih Sheng, a decorated public servant, an editor and author of famous literary works such as ‘Letters from the Coast’ and ‘For the New Youth’, was a firm believer in education as a social leveler, as well as an advocate of arts and social causes. To continue his distinguished legacy, his grandson Lien Ber Luen set up the Lien Shih Sheng Foundation with CFS to provide assistance to financially disadvantaged students in the form of scholarships and bursaries.Hear what Mr Lien has to say about legacy giving in his radio interview with 96.3FM:

A call for collaborative giving: Join hands to make a difference. Together, let's create positive change through collective generosity. #CollaborativeGiving

A Call for Collaborative Giving: Scaling Greater Heights with Seniors

The third Colabs publication explores how we as individuals and as a society can help our senior citizens live more happily in our community, against the backdrop of an aging population. The collective insights of 98 participants identified various issues such as the generational gap and lack of purpose. In collaborative discussions on the way forward, one key point was to involve seniors from the very beginning, to improve their ownership and adoption of the solutions. Read more here.

A man and woman posing for a photo against a beige background, capturing a joyful moment together.

S’pore couple plan to leave money to charity after their death in new campaign to promote legacy giving

SINGAPORE – It was their son’s degenerative eye disease that set ophthalmologist Dr Audrey Looi and her neurosurgeon husband Dr Ang Beng Ti on the path of philanthropy.The couple were devastated around a decade ago to find out that James, now 19, suffers from Stargardt’s which causes progressive vision loss, when he was in primary school.

A woman gracefully plays the violin, showcasing her talent, dressed in a captivating blue gown.

2020 Goh Soon Tioe Centenary Award winner Natalie Koh: A talented musician with a heart for children with special needs

Natalie’s first steps towards becoming a professional musician weren’t the easiest. Although she began learning violin at the tender age of five at her mother’s behest, Natalie barely passed her ABRSM exams in the fledgling years of learning the instrument. Nevertheless, it was her love for classical music and the violin that allowed her to persevere in her music-learning journey.It was in her secondary and junior college years that she started developing a more well-rounded education in music.

The breakfast huddle with Catherine Loh: A group of individuals gathered around a table, engaged in a morning discussion.

Start a donor-advised fund: plan your giving flexibly and sustainably

CEO Catherine Loh goes on Money FM 89.3 to speak about the donor-advised funds.Elliott Danker: Funds such as DAFs are especially needed during the current COVID-19 pandemic because that’s where you have more people in need. Many charities have shared that donations have been falling.

"Explore The Straits Times charity news page, highlighting philanthropic efforts and inspiring stories."

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.

Two musicians, a man and a woman, engrossed in playing the violin and guitar.

The Goh Soon Tioe Centenary Award: Creating opportunities for future generations of musicians

An accomplished violinist, conductor and impresario, Goh Soon Tioe was one of the greatest pioneers of Western classical music in post war Singapore and among the country’s earliest music teachers.A prodigious student of Spanish classical guitarist Andres Segovia, Goh taught a generation of musicians who went on to become established figures in Singapore’s music scene. Some of them include household names such as singer-songwriter Dick Lee, and National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Concert Orchestra Music Director, Lim Soon Lee

YOUTH