CapitaLand pledges S$200,000 to President’s Challenge 2020
Added: (Thu Sep 17 2020)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
Singapore, 17 September 2020 – CapitaLand, through its philanthropic arm CapitaLand Hope Foundation (CHF), has pledged S$200,000 to President’s Challenge 2020 as it rallies the community to make 8,000 mask pouches under #CareKitWithLove to support children and youth with special needs as well as frontline staff from special education schools amid COVID-19. The charities identified by President’s Challenge to receive the mask pouches are Association for Persons with Special Needs, Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore, Lighthouse School, Metta Welfare Association, Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore and Rainbow Centre Singapore.
In addition, 2,000 mask pouches produced by Arts@Metta, a programme under Metta Welfare Association that promotes employment and independence of special needs alumni from the Metta School, will be available for sale to the public in October 2020 and CHF will pledge S$20 for each item sold. Proceeds from the sale will go to Arts@Metta and CHF’s donation will go to President’s Challenge 2020.
Mr Tan Seng Chai, Chief Corporate and People Officer for CapitaLand Group and Executive Director of CapitaLand Hope Foundation, said: “As a socially responsible company, CapitaLand has been contributing to the communities we operate in globally. We were swift to galvanise our resources and staff volunteers to render assistance to the vulnerable communities in Singapore from the onset of COVID-19, and we are continuing our efforts as the situation gradually improves. The Group’s support for children and youth with special needs through President’s Challenge reinforces our commitment to play our part in building a caring and inclusive society.”
Mr Tan added: “Our philanthropic arm, CapitaLand Hope Foundation, has contributed more than S$3 million over 13 years to President’s Challenge to benefit over 40 charities that support the needs of vulnerable children and elderly in Singapore. Besides tapping on our network of partners, tenants, customers and staff to join in our philanthropic efforts, we are reaching out to our community to contribute their time and skills through #CareKitWithLove. By bringing people together through a common cause of caring for the underprivileged, we aim to help build a stronger and more united Singapore.”
#CareKitWithLove: How the community can volunteer
The #CareKitWithLove initiative is calling for volunteers to prepare and pack sewing materials, as well as conduct virtual workshops for students with special needs to personalise their mask pouches, with training provided by charity organisation Heartware Network.
Volunteers who have sewing skills and a sewing machine at home can register for a kit which includes materials for making 50 mask pouches and a QR code that links to an e-guide and video tutorial. The kit can be collected from Metta Welfare Association or the Click + Collect service at Basement 2 of CapitaLand’s Funan, from now till 15 October 2020. The completed mask pouches can be deposited at Metta Welfare Association or Funan’s Concierge by 29 October 2020. Volunteers without a sewing machine can book a slot to make mask pouches at BERNINA (Singapore), a Swiss sewing concept store at Funan, or at Metta Welfare Association. Interested volunteers can register at: www.capitaland.com/carekitwithlove
In June 2020, CapitaLand partnered with Yellow Ribbon Singapore to make over 1,400 mask pouches for children with special needs from Rainbow Centre Singapore. CapitaLand staff volunteers and Rainbow Centre staff co-designed the mask pouch and a guide to help teachers explain the use of the pouch, encourage the children to wear face masks and maintain proper hygiene. Virtual sessions were also conducted to demonstrate how to use the mask pouch and guide students to personalise them.
Ms Helen Lui, Vice-Principal, Rainbow Centre Singapore, Margaret Drive School said: “Most of our students have challenges with organising their materials and activities. The mask pouches definitely came in handy to help them learn how to store their new and used masks appropriately. It is also a great resource for our teachers and parents as they have a standardised mask pouch to help the students get used to this new routine.”
To date, CapitaLand has pledged over S$2.2 million to support underprivileged children, vulnerable elderly, healthcare workers and community care staff impacted by COVID-19 in Singapore. CapitaLand has also mobilised close to 900 staff volunteers to support the vulnerable communities, from delivering meals and conducting virtual engagement sessions with the elderly to distribution of care kits and hand sanitisers.
Please refer to Annex A for the profiles of #CareKitWithLove’s key partners, Annex B for the partners’ quotes, and Annex C for the key design features of the mask pouches that the charities will receive.
Annex A
Profiles of #CareKitWithLove’s key partners
President’s Challenge
Started in 2000, the President’s Challenge is an annual community outreach and fundraising campaign for beneficiaries selected yearly by the President’s Office. The Challenge represents a coming together of people from all walks of life, under the President’s patronage, to help the less fortunate. It serves as a call to all Singaporeans to do their part to build a more caring and inclusive society by giving of their time, skills and enterprise.
In 2012, former president Dr Tony Tan expanded the areas of focus to include Volunteerism and Social Enterprise. In 2018, President Halimah Yacob refocused the effort of President’s Challenge towards the empowerment of vulnerable groups with skills and employability. An Empowering for Life Fund was set up to support programmes in skills upgrading, capacity building and employment of vulnerable groups. President’s Challenge aims to raise S$10 million for the Empowering for Life Fund over the next five years and the Government will match dollar-for-dollar. More information: www.presidentschallenge.gov.sg
BERNINA (Singapore)
BERNINA is a 127-year-old family-owned Swiss international company, founded in 1893 in Switzerland. Swiss precision is at the heart of every sewing and embroidery machine that the company creates. In 2017, BERNINA (Singapore) was established as the hub for Asia Pacific, led by Katharina Ueltschi.
Located at Funan, BERNINA (Singapore) aims to develop new customer experiences for those who want to take up sewing or embroidery as a hobby, set up a business or explore a form of creative expression. Their goal is to inspire people across all age groups and to support them and be part of their creative lifestyle. They offer workshops and masterclasses, coach and encourage their customers to become creative themselves. More information: www.bernina.com.sg
Heartware Network
Established in 2000, Heartware Network is a registered Society with the Registry of Societies, and a registered Charity with the Institution of Public Character status under Commissioner of Charities, under the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. Heartware Network seeks to instil positive values and build strong character in youth between ages 14 and 35 and engages the young to be resilient, innovative in serving others, and to be entrepreneurs rooted to Singapore as their home. Heartware Network is committed to transforming the lives of under-served children and youth by empowering them with greater confidence in their abilities for a brighter future. More information: www.heartware.org
Metta Welfare Association
Metta Welfare Association (Metta) was founded in 1992 by Venerable Chao Khun Fa Zhao BBM, Abbot of the Golden Pagoda Buddhist Temple. He is President of the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum. Metta aims to provide welfare services for the community, regardless of race or religion. Metta is dedicated to working closely with its clients, donors, partners, suppliers and community organisations to provide welfare services to meet the needs of the community at its centres.
Initiated by Metta in 2007, Arts@Metta seeks to equip special needs alumni from the Metta School with life skills that promote employment and independence. Arts@Metta’s programmes enable these youths to overcome their disabilities through mastery of the arts. Their artistry has since gained recognition through corporate commissions and social responsibility projects. Turning personalised gift ideas into attractive lifestyle items through quality design and production, Arts@Metta helps businesses align and enhance their corporate branding with a social mission. More information: www.metta.org.sg
Annex B
Key partners’ quotes
Ms Katharina Ueltschi, Director of BERNINA (Singapore) said: "BERNINA sewing machines help to encourage creativity and skills. Through this #CareKitWithLove collaboration with CapitaLand, we are glad that our shopfront and machines at Funan can be used to enable like-minded volunteers to do their part for the community."
Ms Tan See Leng, Executive Director, Heartware Network said: “Heartware Network is excited to collaborate with President's Challenge, CapitaLand from the corporate sector, Metta Welfare Association from the social service sector and other stakeholders such as BERNINA (Singapore), to support them in volunteer management for the #CareKitWithLove project. This unique project allows us to bring awareness to good hygiene habits surrounding mask usage, reduce preventable illnesses in our community and promote sustainability by discouraging the use of plastic to keep the masks. As an organisation committed to transforming the lives of under-served children and youth, we believe this project is beneficial not just for children with special needs, but for many vulnerable members in our community. For our Heartware volunteers, it is a meaningful opportunity for them to volunteer by teaching something of real impact to children with special needs.”
Ms Felicia Wee, Deputy Executive Director, Metta Welfare Association said: “‘Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.’ The collaboration between Metta, CapitaLand and key partners during this challenging climate has allowed us to share ideas, work together, leverage and integrate our efforts collectively as one. #CareKitWithLove is about compassion, love, support and kindness and the power we gain when we share with each other to do good for the bigger community.”
Annex C
Key design features of the mask pouches that the charities will receive
• Inclusive: Specially designed for children and youth with special needs
- Soft but firm material for ease of putting in and taking out face mask
- Velcro closure for easy access
- Convenient hand strap
- Two slots for keeping clean and used face masks separately
• Environmentally friendly: Washable and reusable
- Allows for multiple uses
• Personalised: Allows for customisation and encourages ownership and creativity
- Plain material exterior for children and youth with special needs to personalise with wash-proof materials during the virtual art workshops