CapitaLand launches S$2-million ‘CapitaLand Silver Empowerment Fund’ to assist and empower vulnerable elderly in Singapore

Additional S$300,000 donation to President’s Challenge 2018 to include elderly beneficiaries for the first time

(R to L) President Halimah Yacob and Mr Lim Ming Yan, President & Group CEO of CapitaLand Group in an arts and craft session with elderly beneficiary, Begum Bte Chorgatta Khan, 73 from Care Community Services. Care Community Services is one of the beneficiaries supported by CapitaLand’s S$300,000 pledge to the President’s Challenge 2018.

Singapore, 31 July 2018 – CapitaLand, through its philanthropic arm, CapitaLand Hope Foundation (CHF) has established a S$2-million CapitaLand Silver Empowerment Fund (CSEF) to assist and empower the elderly in Singapore.  CHF has partnered Community Chest Singapore to identify, fund and volunteer in projects to support vulnerable seniors aged 60 and above over three years.  The new fund strives to improve the quality of life for the vulnerable elderly in Singapore through healthcare, deeper social integration and better living conditions.

The establishment of CSEF marks the first time CHF has expanded its mandate from helping underprivileged children to the vulnerable elderly since the Foundation was established in 2005.  The first two projects supported by the CSEF, a senior-friendly community garden and a Community Hub, will benefit over 2,600 elderly beneficiaries when completed.

The launch of CSEF at Raffles City Singapore was officiated by Guest-of-Honour, President Halimah Yacob.  At the event, CapitaLand pledged an additional S$300,000 to benefit six charities under President’s Challenge 2018.  This will also be the first time CapitaLand is apportioning part of its donation to President’s Challenge towards helping the elderly

“Through the President’s Challenge, we are building a more caring and inclusive society, and CapitaLand has been a committed supporter of this goal. I encourage more corporates to extend their assistance, and to contribute their resources and expertise to help the silver generation stay connected and integrated to Singapore’s social fabric.”

President Halimah Yacob

Mr Lim Ming Yan, President and Group CEO of CapitaLand Group and Director for CapitaLand Hope Foundation, said: “For over 10 years, CapitaLand has been supporting underprivileged children through our philanthropic arm – CapitaLand Hope Foundation.  However, with Singapore’s changing demographics, the issue of elderly care has become a growing concern.  As we expand the Foundation’s mandate to support the healthcare and wellbeing of the vulnerable elderly, CapitaLand is looking forward to working together with longtime partners like President’s Challenge and Community Chest to improve the quality of aged care in Singapore.  I hope what we are doing today will encourage more to come forward to help put Singapore in a better position to cope with an aging population tomorrow.”

“With CapitaLand’s real estate expertise in master planning and universal design, we have built inclusive buildings for the community and we seek to further apply these capabilities to assist the silver generation.  The CapitaLand Silver Empowerment Fund is more than just financial assistance.  We will partner with social service providers through Community Chest to enhance community spaces to make them accessible, and support programmes to empower the silver generation to lead richer and more independent lives,” Mr Lim added.

Mr Phillip Tan, Chairman for Community Chest, said: “It is heartening to see CapitaLand take the lead to give back and empower more lives by expanding the reach of its philanthropic arm to benefit vulnerable seniors, many of whom not only require support in terms of resources but also desire to be meaningfully engaged within the community.  This timely partnership will bring greater synergy between Community Chest and CapitaLand to empower the lives of our seniors, enable them to remain integrated within the community and have access to critical services.”

Mr Lim Ming Yan, President & Group CEO of CapitaLand with Mdm Lee Chwee Sian, 李水仙, 85 at the AWWA Senior Community Home Garden. Mdm Lee shared more about the types of plants and fruits that are grown at the AWWA Senior Community Home Garden. The garden will be refurbished and is one of the two projects that will be supported by the new S$2million CapitaLand Silver Empowerment Fund.

CapitaLand Silver Empowerment Fund[1]

For the first project supported by the CSEF, CapitaLand will refurbish a senior-friendly community garden in Ang Mo Kio managed by AWWA Senior Community Home.  The garden will be wheelchair-friendly and will provide an inclusive, shared space with placemaking initiatives, where the elderly can do gardening and interact with the rest of the community.

For the second project, CapitaLand will contribute towards the completion of a Community Hub (CH) in Ang Mo Kio.  Conceptualised and developed by TOUCH Community Services, this new facility in an established and ageing neighbourhood is designed to promote resident independence and self-reliance to delay institutionalisation and facilitate ageing in place.

“Raffles City: Arts In the City Series X Disney’s ‘Mickey Go Local’”[2] Exhibition in support of President’s Challenge 2018[3]

CapitaLand has pledged S$300,000 to President’s Challenge 2018 through a partnership between Raffles City Singapore and The Walt Disney Company for the launch of ‘Mickey Go Local’ exhibition.  At the event, President Halimah Yacob and Mr Lim Ming Yan unveiled their designs for Mickey Mouse.  The S$300,000 contribution will go towards six charities – Ain Society, Boys Town, Care Community Services, Persatuan Permudi Islam Singapora (PPIS), Rainbow Centre and Society for the Aged Sick.

(R to L) President Halimah Yacob and Mr Lim Ming Yan, President & Group CEO of CapitaLand Group. Mr Lim shared the story behind ‘Flourish & Bloom’, the Mickey Mouse figurine designed by himself. There are 90 Mickey Mouse figurines on display at Raffles City Singapore – part of the Disney’s “Mickey Go Local” exhibition. Each design has earned a donation from CapitaLand Hope Foundation, the philanthropic arm of CapitaLand.
Mr Lim Ming Yan, President & Group CEO of CapitaLand Group (centre in yellow vest) with the elderly beneficiaries of AWWA Senior Community Home, together with CapitaLand staff volunteers. CapitaLand volunteers cleaned the homes, played games and sang songs with the beneficiaries. The initiative is part of CapitaLand’s 6th CapitaLand Volunteer Day.

CapitaLand Volunteer Day

President Halimah also interacted with the children and elderly beneficiaries as well as CapitaLand staff volunteers at an art workshop followed by a volunteer appreciation reception at Raffles City Singapore in the afternoon.

Earlier in the day, 170 CapitaLand staff volunteers were involved in cleaning the homes of the elderly, celebrating an early National Day with food, music and games, bringing joy to about 500 vulnerable seniors as part of CapitaLand 6th Volunteer Day.  Started in 2013, the annual volunteer event rallies staff to reach out to the communities CapitaLand operates in.

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[1]  For more information about the community projects supported by CSEF, please refer to Annex A.
[2]  For more information about the exhibition, please refer to Annex B.
[3]  For more information about the six charities to benefit from CHF’s donation, please refer to Annex C.

  • Annex A - CapitaLand Silver Empowerment Fund supported projects for 2018

    Community Garden

    Located in Blk 123, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6, the community garden is currently under the care of AWWA Senior Community Home, which provides accommodation for about 140 senior residents aged over 60 who are on public assistance, or have no family or financial support.

    The community garden was identified as having a strong potential to provide wider and engaging activities for the seniors, and draw people from the neighbourhood, of all ages, to socialise and join the seniors at the garden for activities.

    However, currently, the garden requires heavy manual work and more traditional forms of gardening.  There is insufficient space for AWWA to organise events and activities.  The garden is not easily accessible by seniors on wheelchair.

    CapitaLand will refurbish the garden and when completed, the garden will be wheelchair-friendly and will provide an inclusive and shared space primed for placemaking, where the seniors can interact with the rest of the community.

    Community Hub

    The Community Hub by TOUCH Community Services is a gathering place and launch pad for residents to become resources to support ageing in place. Located conveniently at the void deck of Blk 433 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10 with most parts accessible 24/7, it is an activity node where residents can initiate their interest-based activities, exercise, attend health checks, learn skills and be empowered to help others in the community.  This new touch point will be used to rally residents to promote a new model of care that identifies the resident as a key component of community support.  Achieving improved health, stronger community relations and increased opportunities for resident contributions will be the key focus.

    With the aim to keep residents happy, healthy and helpful, the Community Hub will be a go-to-point for seniors to take charge of their own lives, and be equipped to support other more vulnerable seniors in their midst.  The Hub will also offer a customised strength-training programme for seniors, which can be used by seniors who are healthy as well as those who need rehabilitation.

    Architecturally, the Community Hub will feature a ribbon of spaces extending from indoors to outdoors, with a continuous shelter that allows pockets of activities to co-exist.  Close to 2,500 residents above the age of 60 are estimated to be living in the precinct.  The Community Hub is part of TOUCH’s Community Enablement Project to enable communities to age in place.

  • Annex B - “Raffles City: Arts In the City Series X Disney’s ‘Mickey Go Local’” Exhibition in support of President’s Challenge 2018

    In celebration of Singapore’s 53rd National Day and Mickey Mouse’s 90th anniversary, Raffles City Singapore is partnering The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) to organise the ‘Mickey Go Local’ Exhibition.  In conjunction with the exhibition, CapitaLand has pledged to donate S$300,000 through its philanthropic arm, CapitaLand Hope Foundation (CHF), to President’s Challenge 2018.

    To date, CHF has committed S$10,000 for the completed artwork by President Halimah Yacob, and S$2,000 per completed artwork by notable Singaporean personalities from all walks of life as well as the top ten designs submitted by Raffles City Singapore’s Design Your Version of Disney’s Mickey Mouse participants.  These include artworks contributed by Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, Speaker of Parliament; Mr Lim Ming Yan, President & Group CEO of CapitaLand Group and Director of CapitaLand Hope Foundation; as well as popular artistes JJ Lin, Nathan Hartono, Kit Chan and Zoe Tay.  In all, 90 pieces of 60-centimetre-tall uniquely Singapore Mickey Mouse figurines have been personally decorated with creative and thoughtful designs

    President’s Challenge Mickey - designed by President Halimah Yacob

    Our community coming together to show our love and care to the underprivileged and less fortunate is symbolised by the heart.

    Vulnerable individuals and groups are also empowered through skills upgrading, capacity building and employability which facilitates them in their integration into society their onward journeys to improve their circumstances in Singapore.

    As we celebrate Singapore's coming 53rd birthday, Mickey joins in the celebration by donning our National Colours.


    Flourish & Bloom     – designed by Mr Lim Ming Yan

    Cultivating orchids takes patience, skill and creativity, the same elements essential to building quality developments.  As the national flower, orchids are also closely associated with Singapore.  The orchid motif on Mickey’s shirt reflects CapitaLand’s heritage as a Singapore company, and its role in nation building.

    The two species of orchids featured are hybrids cultivated specially for CapitaLand in support of President’s Challenge in 2011.  From a tiny bud to glorious inflorescence, the orchid hybridisation and cultivation process is one that requires perseverance and it is in this same spirit that CapitaLand will continue its pledge of hope, of love, of building communities; so that it can continue to see goodness bloom and goodwill flourish.

    The purple Cattleya CapitaLand’s lush blooms, long flowering season and strong adaptability to the environment, reflects the Group‘s sustainable development and continuous growth.  Whilst the smaller Phalaenopsis CapitaLand carries an elegant blend of pastel yellow and soft pink, embodying vigour and vitality as it sways gracefully in the wind.

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    The exhibition is open to the public and CHF will donate S$10 for each hashtag – #RCSArtsinthecityPC, #Mickey90, #MickeyGoLocal, #CapitaLand and #CHFPC – used in every photo that the public takes with the Mickey Mouse figurines and shares on Instagram.

    Date:          1 August to 29 August 2018

    Time:          10am – 10pm

    Venue:        Level 1, Raffles City Singapore, 252 North Bridge Road

                       Admission is free

  • Annex C - President’s Challenge charities that will benefit from CapitaLand Hope Foundation’s S$300,000 donation

    Since 2008, CapitaLand has donated about S$2.7 million through CapitaLand Hope Foundation to President’s Challenge to benefit over 30 children’s charities in Singapore. This year is the first time CapitaLand Hope Foundation is supporting elderly beneficiaries, besides children’s programmes.

    The six charities supported by CapitaLand Hope Foundation this year are:

    1)    Ain Society

    Ain Society has benefitted more than 30,000 individuals through its developmental, remedial as well as rehabilitative programmes.  The donation will go towards enhancing the quality of life of children and elderly with cancer through various programmes such as art and music therapy.

    2)    Boys’ Town

    Boys' Town provides residential care, street outreach, fostering and community and school-based programmes for families, children and youth-in-need.  Boys' Town helps both boys and girls from disadvantaged and disengaged families, who may have faced hardship resulting from difficult living situations, poor nutrition, financial struggles, chaotic home environment, abandonment and abuse.  The donation will go towards residential services to provide an environment of care and support for 80 boys aged 10-21 who come from disadvantaged and disengaged families.

    3)    Care Community Services

    Care Community Services Society provides community services that reaches out to children, youths, families and individuals in-need.  The donation will go towards programmes aimed at improving the overall mood and stimulating positive interactions of elderly with dementia through activities such as sing-along to oldies, playing of musical instruments, etc.

    4)    Persatuan Pemudi Islam Singapora

    Founded in 1952, Persatuan Pemudi Islam Singapora (PPIS) is dedicated to working with women of all ages in carrying out their multiple roles in society.  PPIS runs two core community services, namely Social Services and Early Childhood Education Services.  The donation will support the student care services in Bedok and Jurong for 180 children aged 7 to 14 years old who have no alternative childcare arrangements at home.

    5)    Rainbow Centre

    Established in 1992, one of Rainbow Centre‘s primary missions is to initiate and provide early intervention programmes and special educational programmes to serve children diagnosed with disabilities such as autism, developmental delay, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome or other neurological conditions.  The donation will go towards providing students with disabilities with after school care, and vocational development and training opportunities.

    6)    Society for the Aged Sick

    Society for Aged Sick provides residential and nursing home for the destitute or older adults from low income families.  The donation will support Project Comfort, a programme to provide dignified care, comforting environment, and better quality of life for residents at end of life.  It will also enhance services and support for residents and their family members at end of life.

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