Fund-raising activities launched today with Charity Golf which raised more than $730,000
Singapore, 23 July 2010 – Singapore Telecommunications Limited (Singtel) today announced that the Singtel Touching Lives Fund (STLF), its philanthropy programme, is committed to raise $2.1 million in 2010 to support its six beneficiaries.
Now in its ninth year, STLF will support: APSN Chao Yang School, APSN Tanglin School, AWWA Early Years Centre, MINDS Lee Kong Chian Gardens School, Singapore Cancer Society and Students Care Service. Together, these charities provide training, special education and counselling programmes to children and youths with special needs.
Ms Jeann Low, Singtel’s Group Chief Financial Officer and STLF Chairman, said: “Singtel aims to be a good corporate citizen by giving back to the communities we operate in. STLF is committed to help less privileged children and young people by contributing to their development. We hope that together with the support of our partners, customers, employees and members of the public, we can help these children and youths lead more fulfilling lives.”
Kicking off the STLF 2010 campaign is the Singtel Charity Golf held today at the Laguna National Golf and Country Club. The annual event attracted Singtel business partners and associates who generously sponsored all 37 flights of golf and made donations. More than S$730,000 was raised from Charity Golf, which is a record amount for the event.
In August, the annual Fold-A-Heart campaign will encourage the public to fold an origami heart from the special red advertisement found in Today newspaper and drop the folded hearts into any post box islandwide. Singtel will donate $1 for every heart received.
Besides making its corporate contribution to STLF, Singtel will fully underwrite the fund-raising costs for the programme. This practice, in place since the philanthropy programme was launched in 2002, ensures that every dollar raised goes towards the work of the charities supported by STLF.
Singtel customers and the public can also make donations to STLF via hotlines (1900 112 8811 and *81111) that are opened until December. Each call is a $5 donation. Singtel will waive GST and hotline charges so that the full proceeds go to charity.
Crossed cheque donations can be made to ‘Singtel Touching Lives Fund’ and mailed to: Singtel Group Communications, 31 Exeter Road, #19-00 Comcentre, Singapore 239732. Cheque donations qualify for 2.5 times tax deduction.
Singtel employees play a significant role in STLF’s fund-raising efforts. Staff can make donations via the company’s Intranet with Singtel matching every dollar donated.
Singtel encourages its staff to do volunteer work for the community. Staff in Singapore is given one day of leave per year to support a charity or community cause of their choice.
On 4 July 2010, about 500 Singtel employees participated in the Singtel-Singapore Cancer Society 2010 “Race Against Cancer”, an event where Singtel was the lead sponsor. On 9 July 2010, 200 staff planted 100 trees on a new plot of land designated for reforestation in the Mandai Reserve.
About Singtel Touching Lives Fund
The Singtel Touching Lives Fund is Singtel’s annual corporate philanthropy programme to help the less privileged children and young people in Singapore. It was launched in 2002 to consolidate the Group’s community support activities. The Fund has since raised about S$17 million for 22 charities under the auspices of the National Council of Social Service.
Beneficiaries of Singtel Touching Lives Fund 2010
APSN Chao Yang School
The School provides special education for children with mild intellectual disability and autism, aged 7-12 years. The aim of the school programme is to provide education and training to enable the children to have the necessary skills, attitude and personality to lead normal, independent lives in adulthood.
The school offers after-school activities where pupils are not only taught skills, but are also given the opportunity to practise their interaction skills.
Website: www.apsn.org.sg/sch_centres/cy/cy_main.html
APSN Tanglin School
The School provides special education for children with mild intellectual disability, aged 14-16 years.
The special education programme aims to enable children to have the necessary skills, attitude and personality to lead normal and independent lives in adulthood.
Website: www.apsn.org.sg/sch_centres/tl/tanglin_main.html
AWWA Early Years Centre – EIPIC
The Centre offers early intervention programmes and individual therapy consultations for infants and children under 5 with special needs.
It aims to maximise the developmental growth of these children by providing them with a holistic and individual developmental programme, while minimising the risks of secondary disabilities through support and training for the children and their families.
Website: www.awwa.org.sg
MINDS Lee Kong Chian Gardens School
The School provides a basic foundation in independence and employment skills to serve children aged 5 to 18 years with intellectual disabilities.
It aims to develop each child to his or her fullest potential with the long-term objective of enhancing the child’s prospects of integrating into mainstream society.
Website: www.minds.org.sg/schools/leekong
Students Care Service
School Social Work, operated by Students Care Service (SCS) helps youths who are susceptible to negative influences or who come from dysfunctional families. This programme reaches out to youths aged 5 to 18 years and provides support and mentoring against negative peer influence, with the aim to maintain them in the education system.
An integral part of the Students Care Service is the SCS Educational Psychology Service, which is an educational and intellectual assessment and remedial teaching to help students with educational difficulties to function optimally.
Website: www.students.org.sg
Singapore Cancer Society (SCS)
The SCS is a community-based voluntary health organisation dedicated to minimising the impact of cancer through public education, screening, patient services, financial assistance, research and advocacy.
Money raised from STLF for the Singtel-Singapore Cancer Society 2010 Race Against Cancer is used to support its “SCS Help the Children and Youth” programme. The programme aims to help children and youths who are cancer patients or whose parents or siblings have cancer.
Website: www.singaporecancersociety.org.sg
