TAKING HEART

Singapore banks bring festive cheer during Chinese New Year

 Vivien Ang

Vivien Ang

Published Sun, Feb 11, 2024 · 04:14 PM
    • To celebrate the festivities, DBS, OCBC and UOB rally their staff volunteers to give back to the different communities.
    • To celebrate the festivities, DBS, OCBC and UOB rally their staff volunteers to give back to the different communities. PHOTO: YEN MENG JIIN, BT

    DBS

    The activities by DBS bring joy to isolated residents who live alone, and foster a stronger sense of community and belonging, says Allkin. PHOTO: DBS

    ABOUT 160 staff volunteers from DBS will be bringing festive cheer to 750 seniors this Chinese New Year.

    Lo hei, bingo and singing sessions are just a few of the activities that the elderly will be partaking in throughout the month of February, as they come together to celebrate the festive season.

    These activities first took place last year in partnership with social service agency Allkin Singapore.

    Due to overwhelming response, the events have been scaled up this year to reach out to more seniors over 14 sessions this year, in partnership with Allkin and Lions Befrienders.

    OCBC

    About 50 OCBC staff volunteers had partnered Willing Hearts to prepare and deliver meals for underprivileged families during the first two days of Chinese New Year. PHOTO: OCBC

    ABOUT 50 OCBC staff volunteers partnered Willing Hearts to prepare and deliver meals for underprivileged families during the first two days of Chinese New Year.

    During the festive celebration, many of these families struggle to put food on the table – especially given the higher prices of meals and ingredients.

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    Separately, more than 30 OCBC staff volunteers brought 25 beneficiaries from Minds to Uniqlo’s outlet at Ang Mo Kio for a pre-Chinese New Year shopping trip.

    That activity brought some reprieve to the caregivers of the people with intellectual disabilities.

    UOB

    Eight-year-old Kyler Ho (right) from Lakeside Family Services with Stanley Chan, a branch manager at UOB. The bank sponsored S$150 for each beneficiary to purchase the apparels at Jurong Point. PHOTO: UOB

    UOB staff volunteers brought 30 children from Lakeside Family Services to shop for new clothes to celebrate Chinese New Year.

    The bank sponsored S$150 for each beneficiary, who was accompanied by a staff volunteer to purchase apparels at Jurong Point.

    This is the third consecutive year that UOB has organised a Chinese New Year shopping trip for children as part of the organisation’s corporate social responsibility programme, UOB Heartbeat, which focuses on the areas of art, children and education.

    Lakeside Family Services is a family service centre that serves children from all walks of life, including those from less privileged backgrounds.

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