Social service agency Able aims to expand, become centre of excellence for rehabilitation
It hopes to help those with physical disabilities to lead productive and independent lives
THE Abilities Beyond Limitations and Expectations (Able), a social service agency in Singapore, held a fundraising dinner at Tanah Merah Country Club Tampines Course last Thursday (Jul 25).
While the amount raised was not disclosed, they will be committed towards the operations and expansion of the agency, chief executive officer of Able Erwin Chan said.
He aims to increase Able’s reach in the Republic, expand its services to support caregivers, and turn the agency into a centre of excellence for rehabilitation – in line with Singapore’s Enabling Masterplan 2030.
For instance, the organisation worked with a client – who in his late 20s suffered a stroke – for three years.
It provided rehabilitation services, and helped him find gainful employment through the agency’s team of social workers and career counsellors. He eventually found a job at a local logistics company.
Chan told The Business Times that it was uncommon for the agency to journey with such a young client.
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More than 50 per cent of Able’s patrons are between the ages of 35 and 55, who suffer from a physical disability.
He noted that the agency is seeing “more complex clients” who require different services, such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, as well as physiotherapy.
Additionally, a “significant number” of Able’s patrons want to return to work, Chan added. “It could be the values cultivated in Singaporeans, but many recognise that they do not want to impose on their family members,” he said.
Established in 2010, Able has, to date, helped 566 clients lead independent lives. It hopes to help those with physical disabilities lead productive and meaningful lives.
For its latest financial year ended Sep 30, 2023, the agency provided employment support to 44 clients and served 120 rehabilitation patrons, conducting about 3,900 rehabilitation sessions.
It also raised about S$1.3 million in donations and grants, S$601,184 through fundraising, as well as receiving S$289,000 in income from charitable activities in FY2023.
The agency also recorded a fundraising efficiency ratio of 8.9 per cent, below the limit of 30 per cent expected of Singapore’s charities and institutions of public character. The metric compares total fundraising expenses to the total gross receipts from fundraising and sponsorships for a financial year.
Chan, who spent 30 years in the private sector before becoming Able’s CEO, said a “broader community effort was needed to truly embrace people with disabilities”.
“The last couple of years of my corporate career opened my eyes to philanthropy,” he said, citing the reason behind his switch to the social services sector.
“I realised it was possible to combine doing good for the community with a commercial model.”
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