A new fund set up by Temasek Trust earlier this year has so far given out $1.6 million to 52 initiatives, which have provided help for more than 125,000 beneficiaries.
The trust said in a statement last month that the oscar@sg fund, launched in April, supports ground-up initiatives that respond to community needs in Singapore that have arisen as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Temasek Trust, which manages the fund, is the philanthropic arm of Singapore investment firm Temasek and is anchored by a $10 million donation from it.
The fund provides up to $5,000 of direct sponsorship and matches third-party funding sources dollar for dollar up to a maximum of $50,000, with a provision to increase the sum to $100,000 in exceptional cases.
The grant recipients to date serve different groups impacted by the virus, such as migrant workers, seniors and healthcare workers.
They include SowCare, the charity arm of The Bible Society of Singapore which has reached out to homeless folk who have been impacted by Covid-19, and Activity Kampong, an initiative to support the engagement of seniors during the stay-home season.
Mr Benny Lim, chairman of the oscar@sg fund's grant committee, said: "This pandemic has and will change many things for us. However, a common thread we are seeing is how it has galvanised many Singaporeans to think of others in need and to step up to help them in ways big and small."
He added that through the fund, the grant committee hopes to continue to "encourage and support such ground-up efforts to help those in need in these challenging and anxious times".
One initiative supported by the fund is #KindCooks. Founded in May by GoodHood.SG, the initiative connects neighbours who cook with those in need of meals.
Home-grown app GoodHood.SG enables neighbours to share items and services, either by selling them or donating them.
Its founder Nigel Teo said: "#KindCooks started because we saw a need on the ground. Many users of the app were requesting meals."
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The initiative has seen 40 cooks providing meals for about 300 neighbours so far.
The grant from the oscar@sg fund goes towards supporting delivery costs and subsidising the cost of raw ingredients for the cooks.
Mr Teo said: "Some neighbours actually cried when they received the food. What really spoke to them was that someone has shown them such care and kindness."
• Those interested in applying for a grant from the fund can visit www.temasektrust.org.sg/Oscar
