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An afternoon chorale treat at the newly renovated Victoria Concert Hall (VCH) awaited concert-goers on Sat, 22 November. Beneficiaries from TCTF-supported charities, YMCA of Singapore, Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities Early Intervention Programme for Infants & Children (EIPIC) Centres and Kheng Chiu Loke Tin Kee Home, enthusiastically applauded as the Singapore Symphony Children's Choir regaled them with a repertoire of 16 songs.
Our volunteers, including Tan Chin Tuan scholars as well as colleagues from the Tecity Group, stepped up to make the 'Tan Chin Tuan Centennial Concert: Make Music, Celebrate Life!' a memorable experience for our beneficiaries and their families.
Dr Tan Kheng Lian, Chairman of TCTF shared, "Our partnership with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra brings the Tan Chin Tuan Centennial Concert series to one and all for the seventh year. We wish to share the joy of music with the staff, volunteers and beneficiaries of the charities supported by the foundation. In particular, we wish to show our appreciation for the staff and volunteers in serving our community."
View snapshots of 'Make Music, Celebrate Life!' here.
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Personal delivery of food goodie bags by staff of the Tecity Group relieved elderly and physically-challenged beneficiaries from collecting the heavy rations themselves.
In Singapore's more affluent society, being hungry is a foreign concept for many. However, the responsibility of feeding a household remains a daily challenge for some families.
As part of its corporate social responsibility efforts, Tecity Group colleagues gathered to pack the groceries and deliver food rations to 80 under-privileged households. These families under the care of Sunlove-Marsiling Senior Activity Centre with charity partner, Food From The Heart (FFTH).
The charity event was done with partner, Food From The Heart (FFTH). With the help of 1,700 volunteers, FFTH distributed more than two million Singapore dollars' worth of bread in 2013 alone to those in need. To learn more about FFTH, click this link.
Tecity Group volunteer, Jeremy Teo said, "This event has heightened my awareness of the needs of the less privileged in Singapore. It also reminded me to be more appreciative of what I have." Another volunteer, Xie Shangzhao added, "Doing good doesn't take long but means so much more to those who need a little help."
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TCTF's support for groups tackling elderly issues extended to ACE (Active, Contributive and Engaged) Seniors, an organisation focused on successful ageing. More than 150 polytechnic students studying gerontology and allied healthcare professionals were among the participants at the two seminars, 'Living Victoriously' and 'Why Should Dementia Be Everybody's Business', where key concerns were raised in eldercare. The seminars highlighted the challenges of dementia sufferers and end-of-life care. ACE's Executive Chairman, Dr Tan Bee Wan, shared with us her views on these issues. Click here to read.
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Building the foundation of a successful fundraising plan: Reproduced from CASE Asia-Pacific presentation.
As a grantmaker, TCTF believes that capacity building and best practices in governance are essential. Such practices encourage informed giving, leading to a sustained positive impact for the community.
To further this cause, TCTF funded an initiative in September by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
Representatives from 25 NPOs attended the TCTF-sponsored workshop, 'Creating a Roadmap for Fundraising Success: Build A Fundraising Plan'. Organised by CASE, charity staff participants at the four-day workshop learnt how to draft funding proposals and create effective pitches to potential donors. Participants were also taught to map their fundraising goals and design strategies for securing long-term funding.
Mr William Fong, Centre Manager of Brahm Centre said, "The tools for fundraising introduced by the speakers are useful and practical. The speakers' willingness to share their experiences in fundraising locally and internationally really contributed toward the effectiveness of this workshop."
Putting their new skills to the test, the participants drew up proposals to better understand what funders looked for when assessing project plans. Having pitched the 'Best Fundraising Plan' during the workshop, Ms Kaelyn Yeo from the Children's Cancer Foundation, will be sponsored to attend the CASE Asia-Pacific Advancement Conference in Singapore next April.
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Sharing a love of reading and stories: Ms Kamini Ramachandran animated stories from TCTF's "More Than Words" publication for her avid audience.
TCTF sponsored storytelling courses for beneficiaries from several charities, including Pertapis and Care Community Services Society (CCSS), in order to cultivate a love of reading and books in children from less privileged households.
An engaging story combined with skillful storytelling captivated the children's imaginations, said David Chan, Executive Director of CCSS.
Storyteller, Ms Kamini Ramachandran, read aloud from the book, "Singapore 2114: My Dream, Our Future". This collection of original stories and sketches produced by TCTF contained ideas and anecdotes inspired by children under the foundation's "More Than Words" programme. By publicising the children's stories, the foundation hoped to demonstrate to these beneficiaries how their peers worked hard and authored their own stories. Likewise, their dreams are not impossible as long as they work hard at it.
Said, Ms Ramachandran, who is co-founder of MoonShadow Stories, "A major part of storytelling is about educating children to become engaged listeners, which will improve their proficiency in English."
The storytelling sessions at CCSS wrapped up nine months of "More Than Words" activities. From the foundation to our partners, volunteers and participants:
A BIG THANK-YOU for making this initiative a memorable one for our beneficiaries. Besides giving the children an eye-opening entrée into the world of creative learning, you have made the experience a happy journey, where they explored their talents and attained new skills. By boosting their confidence, we hope to encourage them to strive to make their dreams come true!
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800 beneficiaries, 22 charities, 160 young performers and 140 training hours culminated in the 'More Than Words - Cherish Your Dreams' Showcase of music-making, drama and nifty dance moves by young performers of TCTF's "More Than Words" programme.
On 11 September 2014, TCTF pulled back the curtains at Nanyang Technological University's Nanyang Auditorium for our beneficiaries. They shone despite being first-time performers. Children from Morning Star Community Services, Thye Hua Kwan Family Service Centre @ Tanjong Pagar, Fei Yue Family Service Centre (Champions Way) and Down Syndrome Association hopped their way through a speech-and-drama rendition of 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit'. The children sang as they enacted vivid farm scenes with their actions, bringing nature to life for the 800-strong audience, which included their families, friends and well-wishers.
The performance segued into an energetic dance demonstration by the budding dancers from Fei Yue Family Service Centre (Yew Tee). The children's showmanship enticed some of the young children in the audience to try the dance moves on the spot.
Visit the foundation's Facebook page to see 'More Than Words - Cherish Your Dreams' Showcase in pictures. Read about the showcase in the Berita Harian newspaper (English translation available).
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Photo credit: Charity Council.
(left) TCTF CEO Ms Yap Su-Yin, a third-time judge for the Charity Governance Awards receiving a token of appreciation from Mrs Fang Ai Lian, Chairman of the Charity Council.
The Charity Governance Awards (CGA) recognised charities that have adopted the highest standards of governance. During this year's CGA 2014, which was held on 13 November, five charities were honoured for their excellent standards in governance best practices. For the full list of awardees, click here.
At the awards ceremony, Mrs Fang Ai Lian, Chairman of the Charity Council, provided an update on the proposed Charity Transparency Ratings (CTR), which was announced in February this year at the inaugural Charity Governance Conference.
According to Mrs Fang, the CTR framework would be available for charities to perform self-assessment on their governance practices. The Council would increase outreach to charities that need guidance, in order to improve their disclosure and governance capabilities. This initiative would promote transparency in the charity sector, helping donors make informed choices in giving.
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