Salvation Army raises more than S$245,000 for social programmes to help families
The funds will benefit around 2,000 individuals a month
SALVATION Army Singapore raised more than S$245,000 from this year’s Red Shield Appeal Luncheon, its annual event for fundraising.
The funds will go towards social programmes, supporting more than 2,000 beneficiaries a month through its 14 centres islandwide.
Held at Conrad Centennial Singapore on Friday (Jul 19), the 28th edition of the event focused on family reunification, reconciliation and healing for Salvation Army’s social services. Donations are expected to continue throughout the year. Minister for Social and Family Development and Home Affairs Sun Xueling was the guest of honour at the event.
One such social programme is Kids In Play, which benefits incarcerated persons and their children.
Established in 2000, the programme brings incarcerated persons and their children together twice a year to play games and bond for about four hours each time.
Former beneficiary Notle, who was incarcerated for six years and released in 2021, said he benefited from the programme because it provided him an opportunity to connect with his daughter.
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Tan Bee Yit, district programme officer at Salvation Army Singapore who leads Kids In Play, said the funds raised will go towards supporting the social workers involved in the programme, as well as to the children to provide them with what they need, whether it is academic resources or purchasing daily necessities.
To date, Kids In Play has benefited more than 680 inmates, 630 families and 1,200 children.
Other social programmes include Gracehaven, which supports children and youth at risk who do not have parental supervision. It works towards family reconciliation, providing services such as counselling, academic mentoring, aftercare services and recreational activities.
Shirlinda Kaur, assistant director, head of home, and social work manager at Salvation Army Singapore, said: “We’ve been able to keep kids focused on having ambitions and aspirations, setting them up to (meet) their maximum potential.”
She added that the funds raised will help them acquire more resources to “do more and touch more lives”.
“Healing and transformation is deep work, and it requires a lot of resources because one size doesn’t fit all,” Kaur said.
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