‘Tis the season to spread the love. Thinking about giving back to your community this Christmas? We found plenty of ways to volunteer right here in Singapore…
While it’s easy for us to get swept away with the Christmas festivities and all that endless feasting and gift shopping, this is a time of the year that can be particularly challenging for others. If you’ve been thinking of taking time to give back to your community and do something meaningful, here’s how you can put that thought into action. Read on for great initiatives in Singapore where you can volunteer or donate this Christmas season.
Where to volunteer or donate in Singapore this Christmas
1. Donate for good
Habitat for Humanity Singapore shows support to the elderly and low-income families in these trying times with #HomeThisChristmas. Donate any amount from $30 to make an impact in the lives of these beneficiaries. Additionally, you can help them build a virtual Christmas town by making a donation of $20.
Home This Christmas, available online
2. Shop to support a cause
Shop away at this social enterprise by Autism Resource Centre honouring the unique talents of artists on the spectrum. They’ve got you covered for your gift list with items including accessories, face masks, festive bundles, kitchen items and dining knick knacks and more. Start adding to your cart and show your support to this meaningful cause!
The Art Faculty Christmas Shop, available online and at #01-07, Enabling Village, 20 Lengkok Bahru, Singapore 159053
3. Run for charity
Santa Run for Wishes is back for its seventh edition and it’s going virtual this year. No need for hardcore fitness training here – you can choose between the 3km and 50km running routes. The goal is to accumulate 21,517km, aka the distance from Singapore to the North Pole, so grab your friends and family for this one. All registration and donation proceeds will go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Santa Run for Wishes 2021, clock-in period till 19 Dec
4. The red kettle pots are back!
The bell-ringing ice cream cart uncles are a familiar sight on Singapore’s streets. But given the Covid-19 climate, this year’s iconic Salvation Army red kettle pots are unmanned. To donate, keep an eye out for crimson pots at places like AMK Hub, West Mall, The Centerpoint, Suntec City and more. There’s also an online option where you can donate just by scanning a QR code.
The Salvation Army Singapore Christmas Kettling, till 23 Dec, various locations
5. Donate food items
Share-A-Gift by The Boys’ Brigade is an annual community service project that helps to fulfil the wishes of kids and families in need by offering them food items at selected supermarkets islandwide. Amidst all the social distancing measures, you can easily give back by donating via BB PayNow (located at all FairPrice stores), Giving.sg or at AXS stations. Beneficiaries will receive either $40 worth of supermarket vouchers or BBSG Food Hampers at their doorstep, with groceries and essential items such as disinfectant spray and toiletries.
The Boys’ Brigade Share-A-Gift, till 31 Dec, various locations
6. Deliver a meal (and a smile)
For many of us, Christmas is about the turkey and the feasting, but it’s worth remembering that a comforting meal can mean the world to others. Why not volunteer to help deliver warm meals to the elderly through Touch Community Services’ Meals-on-Wheels programme? Home-bound and living alone, these elderly folks are dependent on daily meal deliveries. As Christmas approaches, share the love by volunteering to deliver a smile to their faces.
Touch Community Services’ Meals-on-Wheels, various locations
7. Cook a meal
If you’re an aspiring chef and prefer meal preparation over delivery, here’s an ideal opportunity for you to volunteer at a soup kitchen (and it doesn’t have to be just for Christmas). Willing Hearts is open 365 days a year from 5am to 4pm. And it’s always on the lookout for enthusiastic volunteers to help with duties such as prepping ingredients, packing lunch boxes and washing up workstations. Your efforts will go a long way in benefiting the elderly, low-income families and anyone who comes to the kitchen in need.
Willing Hearts, #01-51, Kembangan – Chai Chee Community Hub, Block 6, 11 Jalan Ubi , Singapore 409074
8. Show some love to local kitties
If you have a soft spot for cats, lend a hand to the Cat Welfare Society. It advocates sterilisation for community cats as a measure to reduce the number of strays breeding and decrease culling efforts. So help the group continue this good work by donating through its Shopee page.
Cat Welfare Society, available online
Be somebody else’s Santa Claus and volunteer for one of these initiatives in Singapore this Christmas!
