Tap to donate to charity at 8 MRT stations, 2 bus interchanges till mid-Jan 2026

SINGAPORE - From now till Jan 16, 2026, passengers can tap their ez-link and credit cards on donation stands installed at eight MRT stations and two bus interchanges for the annual Tap For Hope campaign initiative by transport operator SMRT.

Donations will go to SPD, a local charity that helps people with disabilities of all age groups integrate with mainstream society, in support of the

President’s Challenge

.

Members of the public can make donations by tapping their ez-link cards, credit cards or linked devices, such as mobile phones and smartwatches, to make contributions of $2, $8, $20, $50, $88 or $100. Alternatively, they can scan a PayNow QR code displayed near the donation stands to contribute.

The amount will be paid to the National Council of Social Service, which then channels it to SPD.

From Nov 14 to Jan 16, donations can be made at Serangoon, Buona Vista, Paya Lebar, Bugis, Wood­lands and Marine Parade MRT stations. Members of the public can also do so at the bus interchanges in Choa Chu Kang and Woodlands.

HarbourFront station will become one of the locations with donations stands from Nov 25 to Jan 16, while Tanjong Pagar station will follow suit from Dec 4 to Jan 16.

The donation stands are located towards specific exits at the MRT stations. At the bus interchanges, they are near boarding berths.

This is the first time that stations on the Thomson-East Coast Line have been included in the campaign.

The campaign was launched at Woodlands MRT station on Nov 14 by Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling. Beneficiaries from SPD performed short dance segments as part of the official launch ceremony.

This is the fifth year that the transport operator is running this campaign in support of the President’s Challenge, and for the first time, SMRT has identified a direct beneficiary.

There is no specific fund-raising target but SMRT said the average donation total from each of the previous four editions was around $40,000.

Speaking at the launch of the 2025 edition of Tap For Hope, Mr Ngien Hoon Ping, group chief executive of SMRT, recounted how the campaign has progressed from involving three MRT stations in 2021 to 10 locations in the latest edition, adding: “One tap may seem simple, but together, those taps become a movement of hope and inclusion.”

Ms Sun told The Straits Times: “Through simple gestures like tapping on one of these consoles to donate, we give hope to vulnerable communities. We can all contribute towards building a ‘we-first’ society, where we care for one another.”

Mr Abhimanyau Pal, chief executive of SPD, said SMRT has been a long-time supporter of the charity, including sponsoring advertisement space at stations for SPD’s public education campaign to encourage the community to look beyond people’s disabilities.

He said SPD is honoured to be selected as SMRT’s designated beneficiary for the latest campaign, adding that he hopes more organisations can step up to champion causes that uplift people with disabilities.

Addressing the challenges faced by its beneficiaries, Mr Pal highlighted that within the different age groups of individuals with disabilities, there is a need for the community and employers to take action, particularly for those over the age of 18. Efforts should focus on helping these young adults integrate into society and the workforce.

“We have to make sure that the companies really practise inclusive hiring in a way that is win-win for them and the employee with disabilities. Then, we have an ecosystem that is truly supportive”.