Over 6,700 festive goodie bags for seniors, needy families
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Volunteers packing the festive goodie bags at the Arena@Our Tampines Hub last week. The Community Chest will distribute the bags, containing various essential household and food items, to mark Chinese New Year this month. This is the eighth year that the charity has organised such an effort.
PHOTO: COMMUNITY CHEST
Cheryl Teh
To mark Chinese New Year this month, the Community Chest will distribute more than 6,700 festive goodie bags to seniors and families in need.
These bags, called fu dai, the Chinese term for "bags of blessings and joy", contain various essential household and food items, including staples like canned food, sauces and instant-mix drinks.
This is the eighth year that the Community Chest has organised such an effort.
This year's initiative was co-organised with volunteer group Heartwarmers. It involved more than 500 volunteers who packed the bags over three days, from last Thursday to Saturday at the Arena@Our Tampines Hub.
Mr Foo Say Thye, who led the effort for the Community Chest, said: "While Covid-19 has brought about uncertainties and new challenges, it has also presented us with new opportunities to support the less fortunate amongst us."
Thanking the corporate partners, donors and community for their role in making the fu dai initiative a success, he said that they have helped make a profound difference in the lives of those facing challenges.
Mr Ian Peterson, cluster director (north-west) of family and community services at Care Corner Singapore, added: "We are truly appreciative of the community efforts in sending these bundles of happiness to our social service users despite trying times."
Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli on Saturday kick-started the delivery of the festive bags, alongside Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for National Development, and Ms Sun Xue Ling, Minister of State for Education and Social and Family Development.
Mr Masagos also delivered bags from the packing site to families in his Tampines ward.
The Community Chest also said that it had raised more than $2 million for the programme.
The money will be used to support more than 80 social service agencies linked to the Community Chest.
Donors included Standard Chartered Bank, telecommunications company Telstra Singapore, skincare brand MTM and luxury brand item resellers LuxLexicon.
