And as any parent would know, the transition into primary school is an exciting but hectic one. When Mdm Marlina had difficulty buying school materials needed for her son at Primary 1 due to her financial situation, Susan guided them through the MOE Financial Assistance Scheme application. Her son managed to start primary school with all his books and school uniform needed.
Today, Susan continues offering the family a listening ear and assisting them in meeting their needs. For instance, Susan and the family coach explained the importance of getting Mdm Marlina's son glasses as soon as possible when he was found to need them. Susan found community support to make the glasses more affordable and later accompanied them to make a pair. We thank volunteers like Susan for their dedication and partnership.
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Second, our volunteers give generously, by contributing their talent and skills. For example, employees of SP Group regularly volunteer with SSAs. Some are seasoned volunteers who are familiar with the challenges faced by vulnerable families, so they contribute their insights and co-curate programmes with SSAs. Others tap on their own areas of expertise to contribute.
Ms Tay Xin Ci and her engineer colleagues run classes to teach children from vulnerable families how to build solar powered toy cars. The children learn not only about solar power but are inspired by these "big brothers and sisters". Xin Ci is also part of the SP Heart Workers committee, which spearheads volunteering activities for SP Group throughout the year. When individuals with different skills come forward, families benefit from the opportunities and range of support offered.
Third, many give generously their treasures. They contribute their resources and give in different ways. One way is through donations to the Community Chest, or ComChest, which go towards supporting services for vulnerable groups. I will talk about two ComChest initiatives – SHARE and Change for Charity.
SHARE reminds us that sustained giving, even in small amounts, can add up and lead to meaningful impact over time. Many donors put in a few dollars to SHARE each month. Collectively, these individual donations amass an average of $16 million per year. Through SHARE, we also see how acts of caring often start from young. This year is the 40th Anniversary of our iconic mascot, Sharity, who will continue engaging students in schools to inculcate the values of caring and sharing.
Mr Gerald Rodrigues is part of the pioneer batch of donors on SHARE and a former Police officer. His interactions with lower-income families ignited a desire to help those with less, as he empathised with the hardships they faced. Gerald started donating through his monthly payroll. It has been 39 years. And he continues to donate regularly through SHARE. Donors like Gerald inspire us to care for others. To encourage more to give, the Government will continue to match new and incremental donations to SHARE. We will do so for another two years till Financial Year 2025.
More recently, we introduced Change for Charity to amplify giving through a whole-of-society effort. City Developments Limited (CDL) is one of the businesses that has implemented Change for Charity. At Millennium Hotels and Resorts, a subsidiary group of CDL with six hotels in Singapore, they make it convenient for customers to donate.
Mr Andy Tan led his team in brainstorming ideas to weave giving mechanisms in their business model and pushing for the implementation. They place donation boxes at the check-in counters and F&B outlets, to make giving more accessible to their customers. Customers can also donate when they are paying their bills or by redeeming membership reward points. With the customers' spending and contributions as the starting point, the amount is multiplied as the hotel donates a dollar for every dinner buffet cover. The Government further multiplies the contributions by matching 50 cents to every dollar donated by customers, and another 50 cents to every dollar if businesses match their customer's donation. We will extend this matching till Financial Year 2027.
Through this, we hope to create a multiplier effect that amplifies giving in our society. Mr Chairman, we are strengthening touchpoints with Singaporeans at every stage of their lives to encourage them to contribute to the society – their time, talent, their treasure. To the questions raised by Ms Yeo Wan Ling, Mr Keith Chua and Ms Ng Ling Ling – this is how we will galvanise the community, from young to old, from one generation to the next. We will continue to work with our partners, from corporates to SSAs, to rally more to contribute. Corporates have shown growing interest in being more strategic in their corporate social responsibility effort. We are making progress in developing the Sustainable Philanthropy Framework to guide them in benchmarking and articulating their social impact. The National Council for Social Service (NCSS) has been engaging leaders across diverse sectors to better shape the framework.
This month, we will be extending our reach by holding consultations with the wider business community. We are also enhancing the capabilities of volunteer managers in SSAs. Volunteer managers can access resources from the NCSS Volunteer Resource Hub to guide them in tapping the creativity and expertise of volunteers to address social issues and to better attract and retain them. Together, we create opportunities for more to give and build a society that cares for one another.
Chairman, allow me to continue in Malay.
(In Malay): Chairman, families are the foundation of our society. The Government will continue strengthening our support to enable families to grow and thrive through every stage of life. In line with ForwardSG plans, the Government will strengthen support for lower-income families by focusing on social empowerment through the ComLink+.
Volunteers play a pivotal role in uplifting families in need. I am heartened by their contribution. For instance, under Project DIAN@M³, volunteers have assisted 250 Malay ComLink+ families. They build trust with these families. These volunteers also check in with them regularly and address immediate concerns by connecting them to available support schemes.
Moving forward, volunteers will continue to work closely with ComLink+ officers to provide more comprehensive support for ComLink+ families. I am confident that with the help of volunteers, we will work towards helping these families to achieve stability, self-reliance and social mobility.
(In English): Chairperson, carrying forth the spirit of Forward SG, let us work together to build a caring and inclusive society, a brighter and better Singapore for all families.
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