Embrace The Spirit Of Giving As We Celebrate Singapore's 59th

As National Day (9 Aug) approaches, and we prepare to celebrate Singapore's continued peace, prosperity and progress, it is also a great opportunity to do good. That's where #GiveAsOneSG – a campaign to promote the value of volunteerism and to encourage all Singaporeans to give back to the community – comes in.

This year, the NDP 2024 Executive Committee has partnered with the SG Cares Volunteer Centres, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), Goodhood.SG, the Singapore Red Cross Society as well as various community and corporate partners to organise a series of activities linked to #GiveAsOneSG.

SG Cares Lead Advisor for Yishun Town and Adviser to Nee Soon GRC Grassroots Organisations (Nee Soon Central), Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (left) and Chairman of The Association of Banks in Singapore, Mr Piyush Gupta handing out household necessities to a family from Yishun Town at the Yishun Community Marketplace. | IMAGE: NDP 2024 EXCO

At the campaign's launch on 8 Jun 2024, SG Cares Lead Advisor for Yishun Town and Adviser to Nee Soon GRC Grassroots Organisations (Nee Soon Central) Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim said that to nurture a truly inclusive society, we must build a strong culture of kinship and respect, where we empathise with our fellow citizens, bring out the best in each other, and succeed together.

"This is encapsulated in the theme of NDP 2024 – Together, As One United People," he pointed out, adding that giving is a whole-of-society effort and is crucial in our nation building. "This is a very important part of our National Day celebrations because we should commemorate our independence by taking actions to help one another."

Volunteers from member banks of The Association of Banks in Singapore helping to distribute household essentials to low-income families at the launch of the #GiveAsOneSG campaign. | IMAGE: NICK CHEE

Community Marketplace

Today also marked the launch of the #GiveAsOneSG campaign's first event: the inaugural Community Marketplace organised by The Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS), along with its member banks and the SG Cares Volunteer Centres.

The Community Marketplace initiative aims to provide essential household items to low-income families with children and youth. It is also part of ABS' broader Community Giveback Programme to unite banks in Singapore to make a positive impact on the community over the next two years.

“Banks play a critical role not only in underpinning the workings of the financial system, but also in serving the needs of the larger society in which we operate," said Mr Piyush Gupta, Chairman, ABS.

Beneficiaries receiving essential household items and other fun stuff like balloon creatures at the launch of the #GiveAsOneSG campaign. | IMAGES: NICK CHEE

Upcoming opportunities to give back

Here are some ways to #GiveAsOneSG and play our part in building a compassionate and inclusive society ❤️:

SG Cares Volunteer Centres

Each of Singapore's 24 towns has an SG Cares Volunteer Centre. These centres will serve as hubs that facilitate the organisation and mobilisation of volunteers and resources to address local community needs. Over 80 volunteering opportunities curated by these centres will be available for public participation as part of the #GiveAsOneSG initiative. Volunteering activities will include befriending families, planning fun activities for seniors, and tutoring children and youth.

Sign up via Giving.sg

Roving Volunteer Festival

In conjunction with the Year of Celebrating Volunteers 2024, MSF is set to host a Volunteer Festival across four heartland locations throughout July 2024. This initiative, in partnership with the #GiveAsOneSG campaign, aims to make volunteering more accessible by matching opportunities to the specific needs of each area, and to make volunteering a part of everyday life for Singaporeans by offering easy ways to get involved.

Stay tuned for more info via msf.gov.sg

Singapore Red Cross Society

The Singapore Red Cross Society will be hosting blood donation drives throughout June and July 2024. Coincidentally, World Blood Donor Day falls on 14 Jun. The NDP mascot, August the Merlion, will make an appearance at selected drives to distribute NDP tokens of appreciation to blood donors.

Sign up at giveblood.sg

GoodHood.sg

Proudly called Singapore's very own "digital kampung", the app is a citizen-led initiative with over 85,000 members. To date, it has facilitated the giveaway of millions of dollars worth of pre-loved items through its mobile platform.

In line with #GiveAsOneSG, GoodHood.sg will introduce an online quest to make learning about volunteering fun, and to bring back the kampung spirit. The end goal: To recruit 1,000 more volunteers for Social Service Agencies. This initiative will kick off with an offline Giving Day in June, encouraging residents to donate unused items to support the less fortunate.

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