SIMPLY placing a small hand-shaped sticker on a board outside an NTUC Fairprice supermarket this weekend could be worth up to $100 for retrenched workers and those affected by the downturn.

The supermarket chain on Friday launched a charity donation drive which it hopes will end in a $3-million boost for the labour movement's U Care Fund.

But the cooperative won't be collecting money during the three-day project.

It will, instead, be seeking support for needy workers through the hand-shaped stickers, signatures and mouse clicks.

Throughout this weekend, patrons of the NTUC Fairprice outlets at Ang Mo Kio Hub, Jurong Point and Tampines Mall will be encouraged by staff to either place a sticker on a board, sign the board, or show their support by clicking on a button at the Fairprice Foundation's website - www.fairpricefoundation.org.

For each sticker, signature or mouseclick, the supermarket's charity foundation will donate $100 to U Care.

Fairprice has set aside $3 million for the project, which means some 30,000 pledges are needed.

Labour chief Lim Swee Say was one of the first to pledge on Friday, when he launched the project at the NTUC Fairprice Xtra outlet in Jurong Point.

He said the potential $3 million that could be raised would go some way towards helping the National Trades Union Congress reach its goal of raising $20 million this year for U Care - which helps union members affected by the downturn.

The U Care fund helps those who may not have received retrenchment benefits, or may have receive amounts that are insufficient to tide them over in the short term. It will also help needy families pay for children's school expenses and cover part of their utility bills.

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