Citi raises more than S$455,000 for ChildAid
Since 2002, the bank and its staff have raised over S$8.38 million for underprivileged kids
IN ITS unwavering commitment to philanthropy, Citi Singapore and its staff orchestrated a wide range of events – from fitness classes and carnival games, to bake and book sales and a breakfast charity drive – in order to raise S$455,000 for the underprivileged child recipients of ChildAid 2023.
The charity event organised by The Business Times and The Straits Times is set to be staged on Monday (Dec 4) to raise funds for The Business Times Budding Artists Fund (BTBAF) and The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund (STSPMF).
But Citi has been coordinating its efforts long before this so that it could make a substantial addition to the event’s final tally. Citi and its staff contributed over S$340,000 through a direct donation from the bank and its annual six-week Citi Supports ChildAid franchise-wide fundraising campaign. Meanwhile, Citi’s IT partners also donated a total of almost S$115,000.
Tibor Pandi, Singapore Citi country officer and banking head, said: “ChildAid is an important initiative that Citi has been supporting since its inception. We are privileged to play our part in uplifting children from financially disadvantaged families to fulfil their passions and aspirations. With our 121-year presence in Singapore, our efforts are even more meaningful today as we are able to bring together our colleagues and partners on a journey to make a lasting contribution to communities in need.”
On top of these efforts, Citi’s staff and partners also volunteered with Touch Community Services to distribute over 280 meals to the underprivileged in one day as part of Project V – a national-level pilot to strengthen corporate volunteerism in Singapore. The bank has committed to over 4,400 volunteering hours from June to December in more than 1,300 volunteering opportunities organised by Touch.
Since Citi commenced its support for STSPMF in 2002 and BTBAF in 2005, the bank and its staff have raised over S$8.38 million for these two funds. Beyond monetary contributions, Citi Commercial Bank has extended its support to BTBAF by annually commissioning the fund’s young artists to design desk calendars, which are subsequently distributed to clients and partners.
Colin Goh, CEO of The Rice Company Limited which manages BTBAF, said: “Citi has been a fervent supporter of ChildAid since its inception in 2004. Beyond supporting BTBAF and STSPMF, the concert has given the young, aspiring talents a platform to showcase their skills and craft. This invariably creates a virtuous cycle of children using what they have learnt from us to give back and raise funds for others in need. Many of these young talents from past editions of ChildAid have gone on to perform on bigger stages.”
ChildAid’s famous alumni include singer Nathan Hartono, composer-conductor Julian Wong and West End star Nathania Ong. This year’s event, which takes the form of a musical dinner theatre, will be available for online viewing on Dec 8 from 6pm onwards. Visit str.sg/childaid23
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