Giving, Donating & Volunteering During The COVID-19 Crisis: Where Your Help Is Needed In Singapore
PUBLISHED May 11th, 2020 06:00 am | UPDATED August 18th, 2023 12:03 am
For most of us, Singapore’s circuit breaker extension just means another dreary month at home; for our most vulnerable groups in society, it means a harsher struggle to stay alive. Due to lockdown restrictions, charities face an uphill battle in organising volunteers and funds – at a time when beneficiaries need help most.
In tough times like these, every helping hand truly makes a difference. Whether it’s money, blood, or time that you have to give, each bit of support can ease the burdens of our frontline heroes, migrant workers, local businesses, and countless others. Ready to step up? Here’re some thoughtful campaigns and initiatives in Singapore to chip in for.
Give Back To Frontline Workers
They’ve sweated on the frontlines for us, so it’s time we repaid the labour. First set up during the 2003 SARS outbreak, The Courage Fund by Community Chest offers relief for healthcare workers and service staff who have contracted COVID-19. Your donations will help support those fallen in the line of duty, as well as low-income families affected by the crisis.
Want to treat yo’ healthcare heroes? Run by the same folks behind kindness movement MyTreat, OurTreat is a heartwarming initiative to fund restaurant meals for healthcare workers. Make the day of our hardworking hospital crews by pitching in to keep them well-fed. Another essential need for frontline workers is surgical and N95 masks, along with hand sanitizers and disinfectants. You can donate unused spares you might have at Contribute.sg – these will go toward protecting service staff and higher-risk persons like the elderly.
Support Local Businesses
It’s been a tough fight for small businesses to stay afloat, and the worst isn’t over yet. Ease the cash flow crunch for the restaurants, bars, and stores you love by buying gift cards on ChopeAndSave – you’ll help these businesses keep running now, and have yourself a treat to look forward to in future. Meanwhile, iSaveSG rounds up promos from dining spots and boutiques, allowing you to support local in a wallet-friendly way. A delivery meal from your fave hawkers, restaurants, cafes, and bars will go a long way as well.
We’ve all had some boozy good times thanks to our local bartenders, and there’s no better time to return the love. Raise a glass to our resilient bar industry with Zhen Gin’s #BarTabSG Relief Fund – an initiative by Asia’s first climate-positive gin label. Up to 40% of bottle sales proceeds will be used to support bartenders and barbacks who’ve lost their jobs or suffered pay cuts as a result of this circuit breaker.
Fund Help For Singapore’s Most Vulnerable
With jobs in jeopardy and normal support systems disrupted, many of Singapore’s lower-income groups are struggling to weather the COVID-19 storm. To feed those in need, you can donate funds and food through The Food Bank Singapore. This non-profit is partnering with local F&B businesses to supply a wide network of beneficiaries, from soup kitchens to family service centres. Another fantastic campaign to pitch in for is the Sayang Sayang Fund – a drive to provide food, shelter, and care to vulnerable groups such as the homeless and the elderly.
A lockdown dictates that we all stay home, but home isn’t always liveable for some of us. Make home a better place with Habitat For Humanity, which is raising funds to sponsor bedframes and rehabilitation works for seniors and low-income families. And if you aren’t able to help out in monetary ways, don’t fret – all you need is a photo. Share a snap of your stay-home cooking moments on Instagram, hashtag #StayHomeWithAscott, and Ascott will pledge US$10 to help underprivileged children all over the world.
Lend A Hand To Migrant Workers
No community in Singapore has been hit harder by COVID-19 than our migrant friends. To support those who built Singapore – literally – consider giving to the COVID-19 Migrant Support Coalition. A joint effort by Citizen Adventures, Migrant x Me, and Singapore Migrant Friends, this fundraiser aims to supply workers with meals and necessities, while designing meaningful programs to upskill them. Data and calls, too, are a basic need – more so for workers far from their families. Help workers stay in touch with loved ones with TWC2’s SIM Card Top-Up campaign.
It’s the little things that make life worth living, isn’t it? Majulah Belanjah is a thoughtful campaign where you can grant the wishes of migrant workers – think simple treats to brighten their life like boardgames and snacks. And if you’re stocking up on lockdown liquor (we know you are), drink for a good cause with newly-launched spirits store SELECTS. Through their Message in a Bottle initiative, you can gift heartfelt handwritten notes in a bottle alongside your spirits purchases at an additional S$20. All proceeds go towards care meals and essentials for migrant workers.
Give Blood, Save Lives
With blood stocks falling to critical levels in late April, the Singapore Red Cross is making another appeal for donors. If you’re healthy, haven’t travelled overseas in the last fortnight, and have had no contact with COVID-19 cases, your blood can save lives. The Red Cross is currently rolling out community blood drives in various neighbourhoods, so do check their Facebook page for updates on donation drives near you.
Volunteer Your Time
Volunteer numbers are understandably plunging thanks to social distancing precautions, but charities need all hands on deck now more than ever. Some places where you can lend a hand include Food from the Heart – this food charity is calling for drivers to help with meal deliveries to underprivileged homes.
If you’d like to pitch in in the kitchen, look no further than Willing Hearts. This soup kitchen requires volunteers to cook, pack, and deliver thousands of daily meals islandwide. And for ad-hoc opportunities, check out Giving.sg – a one-stop platform for various charities to put up volunteer calls.
Top Image: Willing Hearts
