2 Programmes Worth $3 million In Total

06 Jun 2010

1          6 June 2010 -  The first run of the Family Recreation & Fun Carnival 2010/11, an initiative by NTUC Club in support of U Care Fund, saw over 10,000 lower-income union members and their families enjoying  an all-expenses paid family-day outing in Downtown East.  For the year 2010/11, a total of $1.5 million has been set aside for six runs of such carnivals from June 2010 to March 2011 to potentially benefit 50,000 union members and their families.  This is the third year the carnival is taking place since it was re-launched as the Family Recreation & Fun Carnival in 2008. This year, the eligibility criteria had also been increased from $2,500 to $3,000 gross household income per family, and from $500 to $750 per capita, so as to benefit more members.  This is the first programme rolled out from the Labour Movement U Care Fund in 2010, initiated by NTUC Club. 

2          At the carnival, NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Josephine Teo, who is the Guest-of-Honour, also announced the roll out of the second assistance programme from the U Care Fund this year – the U Stretch vouchers.  $1.5 million worth of U Stretch vouchers is targeted to benefit 50,000 lower-income union members. The U Stretch vouchers are discount vouchers which will allow union members to maximise their daily expenditure and help ease their cost of living.  

3      Each successful applicant will receive a booklet of 12 vouchers worth $30. Each voucher is a 50% discount off a minimum of $5 purchase from 6 NTUC Social Enterprises - NTUC Club, NTUC Eldercare, NTUC FairPrice, NTUC Foodfare, NTUC Healthcare and NTUC Link.  These vouchers will expire on 15 February 2011.  Please see Annex  for more details on the U Stretch vouchers.

Application Process

4          The application for the U Stretch vouchers is open till 21 June 2010.  Ordinary Branch union members can apply directly with the respective unions they belong to.  For General Branch union members, they can download the application form from http://www.ntuc.org.sg/ustretch or obtain the application form from the NTUC Member Services Centre located at NTUC Centre, 1 Marina Boulevard, #B1-01, One Marina Boulevard S(018989).   Further enquires may be directed to the NTUC Hotline at 6213 8008. 

5          The eligibility criteria for union members are:

i) Gross household income of $1,800 and below; OR

ii) Per capita income of $500 and below

6          Mr Azman Bin Hashim, a 47-year old Senior Security Officer who earns $1,400 to $1,500 monthly from the Union of Security Employees is grateful for any kind of help he can get.  “I have been receiving the U Stretch vouchers for the past 2 years.  It is useful because it does help in my living expenses in some way, especially when I have 4 school-going children to feed and my wife who is not working.” Mr Azman’s children are aged between 11 and 20 years old.

7          Mr Ang Hock Beng, aged 56, who is a delivery man from the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers’ Union (FDAWU), is also another family who has applied for the vouchers last year.  “If I get the vouchers this year, I will spend it on groceries at NTUC FairPrice, as my family always does with previous years’ vouchers.”  He is drawing approximately $1,400 per month.

8          The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC)’s Care and Share Director, Mr Zainudin Nordin said, "We are glad to have began rolling out $3 million worth of programmes - the Family Recreation & Fun Carnival, and the distribution of U Stretch vouchers - from the Labour Movement U Care Fund this year.  As we continue to fundraise to meet this year’s target of $10 million, we will assess the needs of our members to provide them with relevant assistance programmes later in the year." 

9          To date, $6.4 million has been committed to the U Care Fund.  The next fundraising event by the U Care Fund will take place in August 2010.

Annex: U STRETCH VOUCHERS

6 Participating Social Enterprises: