SINGAPORE – A total of $7.25 million was raised in 2023 for the NTUC-U Care Fund to help union members in need and their families.
Some 10,000 union members and their families benefited from various assistance programmes in 2023.
These programmes aim to alleviate the cost of daily essentials for members, including the needs of their school-going children.
The U Care Fund was established in 2009 to help union members affected by the economic downturn from the global financial crisis.
The fund continues to assist lower-income union members “against a backdrop of continued economic uncertainty and rising cost of living”, the National Trades Union Congress said on Wednesday.
NTUC care division director Melvin Yong thanked donors for supporting the cause despite the economic uncertainties.
In 2023, some 100 donors contributed to the fund, NTUC said, with $4.2 million donated by the Singapore Labour Foundation and NTUC Social Enterprises. NTUC-affiliated unions and associations donated close to $900,000 as well.
It added that since 2021, the fund has found new ways to raise money from a wider pool of donors. For example, 140 golfers participated in the U Care Fund Charity Golf and Dinner to raise funds.
The U Care Fund also encouraged the public to donate on digital platforms, and raised $30,000 from various campaigns on Facebook and charity platform Giving.sg.
Mr Yong, who is an assistant secretary-general of NTUC, said the fund introduced additional financial assistance for beneficiaries in 2023 as cost of living remains one of workers’ top concerns. He added: “While NTUC continues to help workers improve their wages and work prospects, we are also stepping up efforts to better support the welfare of our vulnerable workers, especially those who face sudden loss of income due to unforeseen circumstances.”
The NTUC Care Fund (e-Vouchers) programme returned in 2023, with a total of $3 million set aside to help union members stretch their dollar.
About 10,000 members and more than 10,000 children are expected to benefit from this programme, said NTUC.
Beneficiaries receive up to $100 in grocery e-vouchers each, and families with school-going children are given an additional $100 e-voucher per child. Applications for the programme opened on Nov 1 and will continue till Dec 15.
The NTUC Care Fund (Special Assistance) also helped some 7,500 members in 2023 with a one-off disbursement of $60 or $150, depending on their eligibility.
Other assistance programmes backed by the U Care Fund help care for the elderly, support education awards for union members’ children and community service projects led by the labour movement.
