Millionaire venture capitalist Ozi Amanat and his wife Asema Ahmed have donated 1,000 meals to migrant workers in quarantine through the charity Free Food For All.
Mr Ozi said he was inspired by a recent Twitter message by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who thanked those who donated meals to the needy during Ramadan.
The couple, who made the donation last Thursday, hope to attract nine other well-heeled individuals to give 1,000 meals each to those in need through a charity of the donor's choice. In return, Mr Ozi and his wife will match the donations to a charity of the couple's choice.
They plan to help those "in need of a warm meal", including poor families, migrant workers and healthcare workers. Mr Ozi, 41, said: "We hope to double the impact of giving. Sharing giving-pledges will inspire others to give and to understand the gaps in giving."
He and his wife are American citizens who have been based in Singapore since 2012.
Ms Asema, 42, is the granddaughter of former Indian president Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed. They have a son, 10, and a daughter, six.
Mr Ozi is the founder of K2 Global, a US$183 million (S$260 million) venture capital firm that invests in technology firms. Its investments include stakes in Spotify, Uber, Airbnb and Impossible Foods.
The couple join a growing list of wealthy individuals here who are donating to those in need during the Covid-19 crisis.
Last Friday, it was reported that billionaire Peter Lim had picked up the tab for $1 million worth of meals for hospital staff, in a show of appreciation and support for their work. Mr Lim, who made his fortune from stockbroking and is now in his 60s, is also known as the Remisier King.
Meanwhile, food firm TiffinLabs, co-founded by one of Singapore's youngest billionaires, Mr Kishin R.K., has set up a charitable foundation to give free meals to the needy.
Mr Kishin, 36, is the son of property magnate Raj Kumar, who runs Royal Holdings. The TiffinLabs Food is Love Foundation partnered Free Food For All to distribute, as a start, 20,000 restaurant-quality meals from last month.
Also last month, Indonesian tycoon and Singapore permanent resident Dr Tahir, 68, gave $500,000 to help needy families in Singapore.
Dr Tahir, who goes by one name, is the founder of the Mayapada Group, one of Indonesia's biggest conglomerates.
Mr Nizar Mohamed Shariff, founder of Free Food For All, said Mr Ozi was supportive of the charity's campaign to provide pre-dawn meals for migrant workers staying in factory-converted dormitories. Mr Nizar, 49, said: "Vegetable briyani and basmati rice with lentils were a welcome treat for them."
Mr Ozi and his wife have been "actively involved" in supporting the UWCSEA Foundation, such as sponsoring student scholarships and other initiatives at the United World College of South East Asia.
Mr Ozi said the couple also plan to donate to the needy in other countries in South-east Asia and in the United States. He added: "We plan to give as much as we can throughout the Covid-19 crisis and beyond."
• To contact Mr Ozi, e-mail charity@k2vc.co
