To commemorate the 5th anniversary of the NTUC-U Care Fund, the Labour Movement set out to raise $11 million, which is $500,000 more than in a typical year. At its second fundraiser for the year, the U Care Charity Dinner held this evening (12 November 2014), a total of $11,014,529 was announced as the Fund’s total donations garnered in 2014. This has brought fund-raising efforts to a grand total of $77,215,434 since its inception in 2009.
For the second year running, all of NTUC’s 61 affiliated unions and association have come forward in a show of solidarity and collectively donated $404,908, which is 35 per cent more than last year’s amount, and reaffirms the Labour Movement’s strong commitment to helping low-income union members and their families.
NTUC President, Ms Diana Chia and NTUC Secretary-General, Mr Lim Swee Say jointly hosted the dinner, which was graced by some 900 guests comprising union leaders, management partners, as well as corporate donors, who have contributed to U Care Fund. Some of the U Care beneficiaries and their family members were also invited to attend the dinner to partake in the joyous occasion.
NTUC Assistant Secretary-General and Director of Care & Share Department, Mr Zainal Sapari said, “The mission of NTUC-U Care Fund is to help improve the lives of our low-income union members and their families. We are very grateful to have the strong show of support from all our donors, and it certainly makes our 5th anniversary extra joyous and meaningful.”
Continuous Support from Major Donors
Besides the Singapore Labour Foundation which donated $3.5 million, other major donors that pledged their donations through the U Care Charity Dinner include NTUC Income ($1 million) and NTUC Choice Homes ($400,000).
NTUC FairPrice Foundation contributed a total of $2.6 million this year ($1 million at the U Care-OCC Charity Golf in May, and $1.6 million through its “Breadwinners - We Care, U Care” campaign in August). NTUC Club also sponsored six runs of the Family Recreation and Fun (FRF) Carnivals amounting to $1.5 million in sponsorship value.
This year, the biggest corporate donor is long-time supporter of the U Care Fund, ComfortDelGro Corporation Limited, which donated $130,000. To show its support for needy elderly whom the U Care Fund supports through its donation to NTUC Eldercare Trust (ECT), ComfortDelGro had also requested for their complimentary dinner table to be extended to some ECT beneficiaries and their caregivers instead.
Commemoration of NTUC-U Care Fund’s 5th Anniversary
To commemorate the fund’s 5th anniversary, a special token of appreciation was presented to each donor during the dinner. Symbolising harmony and happiness, the depiction of Koi fishes in the commemorative token of appreciation was reproduced from the Guinness World Records’ “Longest Drawing by an Individual”, set by former actor Mr Edmund Chen Zhi Cai in 2013.
Caring for Low-Income Union Members and Families
For 2014, NTUC-U Care Fund has set aside $2.675 million and $3.875 million for NTUC U Stretch vouchers and U Care Back To School vouchers respectively. Other U Care Assistance Programmes include six runs of Family Recreation & Fun Carnivals; U Care Education Co-Funding scheme; donations to NTUC First Campus Bright Horizons Fund and NTUC Eldercare Trust.
Many low-income union members and their families have continued to benefit from U Care Fund’s assistance programmes over the years. While these programmes aim to help lighten the load for daily living expenses and school expenses of members’ children, they have managed to make a big impact on some.
Mdm Aniza Bte Mohamed, 31, a member of the Education Services Union (ESU) since 2007 said, “As a single mother of two primary school-going children, I am thankful to NTUC-U Care Fund for providing assistance to our family through its various programmes. The U Stretch vouchers help me buy necessities and groceries at a discount from NTUC FairPrice, which enables me to stretch my dollar. I also receive two Back to School voucher booklets for my two children, which I use to purchase essential school items like school shoes and assessment books. These really help me save a lot.”
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