Firms, organisations bringing cheer for National Day
Donated masks, bentos and vegetable seeds help to rally Singaporeans
Donating masks to vulnerable communities, delivering meals to beneficiaries and rallying Singaporeans through a digital pledge map.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, these are some of the ways businesses and organisations are bringing cheer and fostering community spirit for the nation's 55th birthday.
Co-working space operator JustCo is donating about 70,000 surgical masks to 11 charities, including the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore.
"As a home-grown Singapore company, we find this tough period an especially fitting time for us to help others who are in need," said Mr Brandon Chia, vice-president and head of JustCo in Singapore and Indonesia, adding the company wanted to help vulnerable communities in the spirit of National Day.
The beneficiaries of its donation were nominated by JustCo members and the public.
NKF chief executive Tim Oei said it was a timely gesture and the surgical masks support "our dialysis patients who have an increased risk of infection due to their weaker immune system, as well as our front-line staff who have put in long hours during this crucial period".
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore's National Day classic car drive, which usually involves bringing beneficiaries of its charity initiative to the hotel for a meal and to watch the National Day Parade (NDP), is bringing the cheer to their homes this year.
The hotel's chefs will be preparing bentos that will be delivered to beneficiaries of WeCare @ Marine Parade, a network that aims to help vulnerable residents, with the help of volunteers from the Malaysia Singapore Vintage Car Register.
Charity organisation Heartware Network, which is usually involved in the NDP through its youth volunteers, has worked with partners including DBS Bank, the Institute of Technical Education and GovTech to launch a digital pledge map.
It encourages Singaporeans to express their aspirations and reflections, aimed at fostering a sense of togetherness. It has drawn more than 67,000 contributions so far, including one from President Halimah Yacob.
Electricity retailer Geneco is partnering urban solutions firm Cultivate Central to distribute 550 green kits - which contain various vegetable seeds - to its customers.
Insurer NTUC Income is holding a virtual run for its employees this year. It will donate $10 for each kilometre run by staff at their own time and pace to the Singapore Association for Mental Health.
"We are glad to continue with our quest for a more sustainable Singapore, while at the same time, do our part in support of better mental well-being among our youth so that they can be future-ready," said Income's chief human resources officer Juliana Ang.
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