DBS commits S$10.5m to Asian communities hit by Covid-19

Singapore

DBS Bank has committed to donating S$10.5 million to help communities hard hit by Covid-19 across the region.

The amount raised via its DBS Stronger Together Fund will translate to about 4.5 million meals and care packs to affected individuals across its six key markets, namely Singapore, Hong Kong, China, India, Indonesia and Taiwan.

In India and Indonesia, where medical supplies are severely lacking, DBS will also fund the procurement of diagnostic test kits, ventilators and protective gear to help in the fight against Covid-19.

In a statement, DBS CEO Piyush Gupta said: "As we look across the region, Covid-19 is creating tremendous hardship for many, impacting both lives and livelihoods. In some of our markets, such as Indonesia and India, there is an acute shortage of medical supplies such as test kits, which is forcing healthcare workers to fight the Covid war blind.

"In other markets, including here in Singapore, the plight of the vulnerable has been exacerbated and some segments of the population are going hungry. The needs are truly enormous, and many in society have come forward to make a difference. As a key member of the community, we too want to stand in solidarity with our employees, clients and fellow Singaporeans to help those impacted, until the day we get through this crisis together."

In Singapore, DBS is partnering The Food Bank Singapore and ItsRainingRaincoats in a S$2.5 million initiative to put food on the tables of the elderly, low-income and migrant workers.

For a start, the bank will provide 200,000 meals to the elderly and low-income through The Food Bank Singapore's Feed the City - DBS Edition programme. These meals will be procured from 15 food and beverage (F&B) outlets, including Koufu Group, Chang Cheng Group, Wee Nam Kee and Gao Ji, which are SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) clients of DBS. Hence, apart from providing food to those in need, support is also rendered to the F&B sector.

Through ItsRainingRaincoats' own Project Belanja, another 100,000 meals will be provided to migrant workers.

The bank will match dollar-for-dollar public funds raised for the two food programmes, up to a total of S$500,000. With the support of employees and fellow Singaporeans, DBS aims to provide a total of 700,000 meals to those in need.

Said Nichol Ng, co-founder of The Food Bank Singapore: "The Covid-19 situation has largely affected our ability to reach out to the beneficiaries as we are running low on food and funds. As their level of food supply has dropped, we have also noted more requests from beneficiaries as they are unable to put food on the table during these uncertain times.

"Through DBS' support, we can continue to run our 'Feed the City' programme, and to meet the basic needs of those affected."

Said Dipa Swaminathan, founder of ItsRainingRaincoats: "There are close to 750,000 migrant workers in Singapore and only a fraction of those are in the gazetted dorms. Many workers who are lodged elsewhere continue to need assistance with food during this time for various reasons: they are in quarantine and not able to access food, they are without funds to buy groceries or unable to cook due to shutting down of communal kitchens.

"Our team of volunteers has been working around the clock to support any such worker who appeals to us in hunger through Project Belanja."

A call by DBS to its employees and the public to stand together in doing good will go out this week, with every employee meal pledge matched by the bank.

Public donations towards meals for the elderly and lower-income can be made at https://www.giving.sg/campaigns/dbsfeedthecity, while donations towards meals for migrant workers can be made at https://www.giving.sg/campaigns/dbsprojectbelanja.