If you are thinking about how you got to the end of 2023 this quickly, don’t fret: you can still make your year count in a truly special way, and we don’t mean the usual staycations, festive buffet spreads and late-night online shopping binges.
Organised by the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) in collaboration with the SG Cares Office and National Council of Social Service (NCSS), the annual SG Cares Giving Week campaign is back from Dec 1 to 7.
During this meaningful week, individuals, businesses, non-profit organisations and the community are encouraged to give back to others in support of any cause they are passionate about. There are four ways to do your part in every way, big or small: Share your Time, Talent, Treasure or Voice.
For instance, you can volunteer your Time and Talent with your family and friends by helping at charity events for those in need, or by giving tuition to children from lower-income families. You can also “create” Treasure by raising funds through charity bazaars or simply donating to a worthy cause. At the same time, be sure to use your Voice – whether online or in real life – to spread the word about SG Cares Giving Week to your friends, family and colleagues.
Or why not contribute in all four ways? Businesses and organisations can join the giving spirit by forming Giving Hubs like public carnivals and raising funds by selling merchandise or organising games.
Retailers can also participate in the Everyday Giving initiative and create promotional campaigns encouraging customers to give back to the community. Here, eight SG Cares Giving Week partners share their plans to "Just Give Lah!" this year.
Spend precious TIME being a volunteer
On Dec 4, KPMG in Singapore (KPMG) will host its Inclusion Day, aligned with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, to foster disability inclusion among employees and stakeholders across communities. The event will feature various activities, including a sign language workshop conducted by Deaf colleagues and other learning experiences designed to equip participants for a more inclusive KPMG. Additionally, on Dec 7, KPMG will bring children from the New Life Community Services for an exciting day out at the KPMG Wellness Garden. This tranquil setting fosters nature-based interactions accessible to visitors of all ages and physical abilities. The firm also aims to fulfil the year-end wish lists of the migrant worker welfare charity It's Raining Raincoats and will separately organise a blood donation drive for the public on Dec 5, and a charity bazaar on Dec 8.
Everyone loves a great outing, especially young children. SG Cares Volunteer Centre (VC) @ Bukit Merah will work with corporate partners like Summit Power International Limited to take children and youth from the We Love Learning (WeLL) Centre to SuperPark Singapore in Suntec City during the Christmas season. SG Cares VC @ Bukit Merah will also recruit volunteers to coach students from Big Heart Student Care on making Christmas crafts, which will then be gifted to seniors in a residential home.
Starting with donating care packs in November to its beneficiary organisations as part of Community Care Day, and holding a staff charity fair in support of HCA Hospice, it has been and will continue to be a busy and meaningful few weeks for PSA Singapore (PSA). Amidst the festive cheers of the year-end season, PSA will also be contributing lunch sets together with Ocean Network Express to patients of Oasis@Outram Day Hospice while celebrating Christmas with them.
Meanwhile, Dell Singapore employees will be volunteering with various social welfare organisations like Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) and Food From The Heart. The company will also hold a charity carnival and a charity auction of items like wine, Bird Paradise tickets, Universal Studios Singapore tickets and limited-edition sneakers. All proceeds will go to MINDS.
Share your TALENT to benefit others in need
As part of its “With Love, Chinatown” campaign, Yong-en Care Centre, which provides elderly care, family support, and children and youth services, is hosting a community carnival on Dec 2 at 10 Jalan Kukoh from 10am to 4pm. This event aims to raise funds for the charity as well as bring service users, residents, volunteers and businesses together. The public can participate by donating cash or merchandise, sponsoring a booth, volunteering at the carnival, or simply purchasing coupons and having a fun day out together!
Volunteers from Love For A Dollar (LoveFAD), a volunteer-led project that provides gift-wrapping services at retailers, will wrap your purchases at City Square Mall for a $2 donation per gift. All proceeds will go to Care Community Services Society, a registered charity affiliated with NCSS. City Square Mall will also be organising a Christmas Marketplace with five booths allocated to Enterprising Mums United and other social enterprise organisations.
Making someone’s day with a gift of TREASURE
Shop for the festive season and also for a good cause with the Marina Bay Gives Back Charity Bazaar 2023. Launched in 2021, it will comprise 69 stalls across three venues this year with merchandise like handmade crafts, artisanal snacks and lifestyle items. Sales from the bazaars will benefit selected charities and social causes. Catch the upcoming roving bazaar at One Raffles Quay, The Open Plaza, on Dec 5 and 6, from 11am to 2.30pm; and OUE Bayfront, The Open Plaza, on Dec 12 and 13, from 11am to 2.30pm.
This year, UOB employees will get a chance to light up the lives of children from lower-income families during the festive season. For this SG Cares Giving Week, the bank is collaborating with New Life Stories once again to make this holiday season extra special for children of incarcerated parents. UOB employees may buy a gift for a child, ranging from educational toys to arts and crafts materials, which will then be packed and distributed as Christmas presents for the beneficiaries. Additionally, UOB will match dollar-for-dollar donations for all purchases, up to $20,000. These proceeds will support education and well-being programmes for children from vulnerable families.
Lend your VOICE to spread the love
Giving is as good for the giver as it is for the receiver. Even if you can’t give through time, talent, or a monetary donation, you can still extend your generosity by using your voice to spread cheer by simply sharing the activities listed above with your loved ones.
You can even share the giving spirit by showcasing your giving activities on social media to reach a wider network. Tag @CityofGoodSG on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok with the hashtags #JustGiveLah, #GivingWeekSG and #SGCares.
Inspired? Other partners like the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), Gojek, Singapore Pools (Private) Limited, Engineering Good, SATA CommHealth, The Social Kitchen Pte Ltd, Ang Chin Moh Funeral Directors, Pontiac Land Group and Be Kind SG are too. They will all participate in SG Cares Giving Week through internal activities or by launching volunteering opportunities.
