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Mr Sz and his wife, Madam Tan Swee Hoon, and their family had to live on the streets after he lost his job. Now, he is working again and they are staying with a relative until they can get an HDB rental flat. Matthew, 12, and Elaine, 13, are back in school, where their meals are being paid for out of The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund. -- ST PHOTO: SHAHRIYA YAHAYA
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IN LESS than a year, Mr Sz Chin Voon, 47, went from jobless to homeless.
He lost his job as a coffee-shop assistant in April 2007 and, four months later, could no longer afford mortgage repayments on his HDB flat. By February last year, his home had been repossessed, so he and his family were forced to live like vagrants.
For six months, he and his wife, 47, their two children and two nephews lived out of plastic bags, sleeping in public parks at night. Even scraping a decent meal together was tough.
'It wasn't easy moving around trying to keep out of sight. I tried to find odd jobs, but no one was hiring, not even other coffee shops,' said Mr Sz.
With the downturn hurting the livelihoods of many like the Sz family, The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund plans to raise $5.7 million this year. This is its highest target since its inception in 2000 - up $1.3 million from last year's target of $4.4 million.
With low-income families battling rising costs amid unemployment and a shrinking economy, Straits Times editor Han Fook Kwang said: 'Our aim is to help as many of these students as possible, so we'll be going all out to raise the money.
'I'm quite hopeful as the response from Singaporeans has been tremendous, and we've been able to meet our target every year. It helps that The Straits Times has such an extensive reach - 1.4 million people read us every day - and we'll be counting on their support.'
The money will go to about 11,000 school-going children who cannot afford to buy food at recess.
The National Council of Social Service (NCSS) said the number of needy cases has grown, based on data reported to its agencies.
The number of new beneficiaries reported for the first quarter of this year by the voluntary welfare organisations disbursing the fund is already more than half of the number for the whole of last year, said NCSS deputy chief executive Tina Hung.
'The 69 agencies disbursing the fund report on its utilisation on a quarterly basis to facilitate monitoring of needs,' she said, adding that timely reporting allows the fund to be effectively distributed.
Going by trends in previous recessions, money raised for the fund will not stay idle for long. 'During the Sars period in 2003 and 2004, we reached out to 11,000 children. This year, the crisis seems more severe. I expect more people will be needing our help,' said the fund's organising chairman, Mr Peter Khoo. He said the new target was set after consultations with NCSS and its social workers.
The fund is one way social workers can help families get the support they need. Often, families with children supported by the fund enjoy other welfare provisions such as job-matching services, counselling and free rations. The fund does not cover living expenses such as school fees, rent or utilities.
Mr Khoo said: 'It's a foot in the door, allowing social workers to enter the homes of disadvantaged children and give holistic care to the entire family.' Asked how he plans to raise enough when people are cutting back on donations, he replied: 'Hard work.'
Under the fund, primary school pupils get $45 a month as pocket money and secondary school students get $80. They use it to buy food at school, pay for bus fares, and for books and stationery.
zengyan@sph.com.sg
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