Singaporeans have once again showcased their charitable spirit with generous giving of time and donations last year.
Singapore, 4 February 2016 – Singaporeans have once again showcased their charitable spirit with generous giving of time and donations last year. This is evident from the significant spike in monetary donations received through both Giving.sg and the former SG Gives, which are both managed by the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC). Total donations passed the $50 million mark during Singapore’s Golden Jubilee in end June 2015. Over $60 million has been raised from both portals, since the inception of SG Gives in February 2010. For 2015 alone, $19.9 million was raised, a 46% increase in amount collected from the previous year. There was also a 14% rise in the number of unique donors registered on the database.
Launched on 1 December 2015, Giving.sg is the first national integrated giving portal to encourage everyone to donate their time, treasure and talent to causes they support. Recognising that giving is a holistic experience, Giving.sg was developed by merging both SG Cares and SG Gives, the former volunteerism and donation portals which will cease to exist on 31 March 2016.
Giving spirit abounds during #GivingWeek
Donations have peaked again towards the end of the year, with 38% of the annual amount collected in December. The surge in donation amount could be attributed to the inaugural launch of #GivingWeek last year, which arose as an offshoot from #GivingTuesdaySG (#GTSG) which typically falls on the first Tuesday of every December. #GTSG continues to attract many charitable donors as there was an 82% increase from $96, 860 in 2014 to $176, 386 collected on #GTSG in 2015 by various participating businesses and individuals.
Giving is Easy! This message was publicised in the entertaining production CRAZY CHRISTMAS – A groundNUTCRACKER. This was the result of a collaboration between Dream Academy Productions and #GivingWeek. The crew of Crazy Christmas with the Dim Sum Dollies, Broadway Beng and other characters brought the message of giving to Singapore.
“Our intention was to promote the idea that giving can be easily weaved into our livestyles through a fun and entertaining show. Whether it’s sharing your pineapple tarts with your neighbour or donating your red packets to charity, every act of kindness will go a long way in spreading cheer to someone,” Selena Tan, owner of Dream Academy says.
The video was featured on Singapore Airlines flights bound for Singapore, the outdoor screens in cinemas, at SMRT stations, TV and radio channels and digital platforms were also utilised to share the giving message. The CRAZY CHRISTMAS trailer video garnered 442, 397 views on both YouTube and Facebook.
“#GivingWeek was organised with the intention to create a conscious atmosphere of giving during the festive period. We believe that every festive occasion, be it Lunar New Year or a birthday gains in meaning and purpose when we remember what we can also do for others. This year, for example, various groups of volunteers have been organising reunion dinners for elderly living in one room flats. It’s a simple act of giving that can mean so much to someone who may otherwise be alone,” Melissa Kwee, CEO of NVPC says.
The generous spirit of Singaporeans continue to surface during festive occasions. During the Lunar New Year period from 19 February – 10 March 2015, there was a 74% year-on-year increase in the amount of donations received, compared to the previous year.
Walk the Talk
NVPC staff also did their part by being Giving.sg ambassadors. Inspired by her personal experience with a friend suffering from leukaemia, Wong Peak Sha from the Corporate Giving team organised a successful fundraising campaign for The Bone Marrow Donor Programme and encouraged friends and colleagues to sign up as bone marrow donors.
Her advice to aspiring Giving.sg fundraisers is: “Think of a meaningful and interesting campaign title. Share with your friends and network the rationale for your decision to support the cause. For me, it was a ‘no pain, no gain’ approach as I sacrificed my Christmas gifts for friends and donated the savings to the campaign instead.”
Committed to their Cause
Caritas Singapore, a local Catholic charity launched a fundraising campaign, Agape Village – Partnering the Poor on Giving.sg and has to date, raised 88% of their targeted goal of $138, 000.
“Those keen on launching their own fundraising campaign must be passionate and committed in their cause to helping the people in need. They must believe that no matter how daunting it is to raise funds in a competitive fundraising environment, it is ultimately a labour of love to serve the people they support,” Janet Ang, Chairman of Caritas Singapore says.
Corporates with a Heart
Corporates have played a pivotal role in giving back to the community. 87.5% of the new registered corporate users took action on Giving.sg. Some companies like Julius Baer have dug deep into their pockets to give back to the community while others like Deloitte Singapore volunteered their time.
Motivated by a desire to support the disadvantaged children, Julius Baer decided to support the MILK (Mainly I Love Kids) Fund by launching a successful fundraising campaign for them on Giving.sg. They have raised a total of $57, 536 through Giving.sg for their adopted beneficiary and this is almost three times their initial goal of $20, 000.
“Guided by our unwavering commitment to investing in the next generation, Julius Baer believes in positively contributing to the social fabric of the communities which we operate in. Through MILK, we are able to do our part to support underprivileged children from low-income families. The passion in helping people succeed is the true driving force behind the success of our giving campaign with MILK,” Mattia Garatti, Chairman of Julius Baer Cares says.
With Lunar New Year approaching, NVPC’s Corporate Giving Practitioner Roundtable participant Deloitte Singapore has decided to organise a food collection drive for Food Bank Singapore for the second time.
“Through this food donation event, we hope to encourage our employees to donate their unopened and non-expired goodies to Food Bank Singapore which will distribute the items to their network of beneficiaries. As corporates, we have the resources and ability to contribute back to the community. We hope to encourage more corporates and individuals to drive community programmes and be active volunteers. Together, we can all make a big impact,” Philip Yuen, Chief Executive Officer at Deloitte Singapore says.
Currently, Giving.sg houses 376 non-profit organisations, 195 informal groups and corporates, and 74,000 over registered users. New modules and upgrades will be happening regularly through the year to expand the services and improve usability. Giving.sg is a safe and secure platform, and there is no service fee for all donations received. Embark on your giving journey this year by signing up with Giving.sg where you can make informed giving decisions by donating, volunteering or fundraising for causes you support.
To find out more about how you can give back, please visit www.giving.sg.
