That is $3 million more than what was raised last year for families, children, the disabled and the elderly, and $14.6 million more than what was raised for these groups a decade ago.

The reason is that more families hit by the economic downturn need help - just when companies similarly hit by the downturn are trimming their donations.

Other charities are also finding the going tough this year. The Singapore Buddhist Free Clinic, for instance, has said it will step up fund-raising and may dip into its reserves, now that more people are going to it for free medical treatment.

The Sunlove Abode for the Intellectually Infirmed, too, said it may have to appeal for more donations and use its reserves.

For ComChest, however, some help will come from its co-funders and the foundations here.

The money is needed to fund 155 social service programmes, up from 149 programmes last year. These programmes benefit 340,000 people, 40,000 more than in the last financial year.

The National Council of Social Service (NCSS), of which ComChest is the fund-raising arm, said 17 more Family Service Centres (FSCs) have joined its 19 FSC beneficiaries. These 36 centres are expected to help 20,000 people this year.

FSCs, largely sited in heartland neighbourhoods, provide information and referral services and counselling for families, and are the 'first point of help for those in need', said Ms Ng Ling Ling, NCSS' director of resource allocation.

Part-time cleaner and FSC beneficiary Lu Kwee Hwa, 42, a single mother of two, went to Toa Payoh's Care Corner FSC for financial aid two years ago. She was put in touch with The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and the CapitaLand Kids Fund.

Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.