SPH Foundation donates $200,000 to help needy children and youths

Singapore, 23 January 2006 - For the second year running, the Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) Foundation, has donated $200,000 to 20 charitable organizations that provide services for needy children and youths.

The Chairman of SPH Foundation, Dr Tony Tan, handed out 20 cheques of $10,000 each to representatives of the beneficiaries at a presentation ceremony held at the SPH News Centre Auditorium this afternoon.

The event was attended by the Chairman of Community Chest, Ms Jennie Chua, as well as some 80 children and youths receiving assistance through the various programmes run by the voluntary welfare organizations.

The audience was treated to a half-hour performance by local magician, Wee Kien Meng, popularly known as "Mr Bottle", who enthralled with his highly interactive tricks and illusions that left the young ones spellbound.

"Today's donation is part of the SPH Foundation's on-going efforts towards helping the less fortunate children and youth in our society, particularly those with special needs and disabilities," said Dr Tan,

"We view this as part of our active partnership with the community, and we hope our contribution will help sustain the various programmes which provide the multi-faceted services that help put these needy children on a better footing."

Dr Tan added that as a charity foundation and an Institution of Public Character, the SPH Foundation believes its yearly donation will help strengthen its sense of belonging to the community and contribute towards a more caring and cohesive society.

"We are thankful for the outright donation. Our school will use the money to buy instructional materials to benefit our students' education," said Ms Jenny Alexander, Principal of Yio Chu Kang Gardens School, which trains intellectually disabled children to be independent and capable of undertaking employment.

Her views were echoed by the Student Care Service (SCS) Yishun Centre's director, Melissa Lim. SCS was a beneficiary of the Foundation's group-giving last year.

"In 2005, we served 170 students and their families under our centre-based counselling programme. SPH Foundation's donation of $10,000 was a great help in enabling families to access our counselling service," said Ms Lim.

"One touching example is a family that was experiencing financial difficulties and the mother was grappling with health problems while struggling with parent-child problems. In the process of helping this family, our social worker took the opportunity to support the daughters who surprised their mother with a birthday celebration at a nearby park."

Said Ms Jennie Chua, Chairman of Community Chest, "SPH Foundation's generosity marks a good start to 2006 for Community Chest, and we are deeply appreciative of its support again this year. The money channeled towards helping needy children and youths will go a long way towards keeping families together.""

Adding that this was in line with one of the key causes that Community Chest supports, Ms Chua said the Community Chest will ensure the funds are properly managed, and that those who need help will receive assistance.

The 20 charities are:

(1) Ang Mo Kio Family Service Centre (Seng Kang)
(2) As-Salaam PPIS Family Support Centre
(3) Autism Association (Singapore) School
(4) Autism Children's Centre (Simei)
(5) AWWA Early Years Centre - EIPIC
(6) AWWA Early Years Centre - First Challenge
(7) Chao Yang School
(8) Fei Yue Family Service Centre (Bukit Batok)
(9) Jervois School (now merged with Chao Yang School)
(10) Metta School
(11) MINDS Jurong Gardens School
(12) MINDS Yio Chu Kang Gardens School
(13) MINDS Youth Group
(14) Pathlight School
(15) Rainbow Centre Balestier Special School EIPIC
(16) Rainbow Centre Margaret Drive Special School
(17) SADeaf Community Integration Support for the Hearing Impaired
(18) SADeaf Early Intervention Programme
(19) SCAS Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children
(20) Wings Counselling Centre

Issued by Singapore Press Holdings Foundation

For more information, please contact:

Eric Ching
DID: 6319 1280
FAX: 6319 8150
Email: chingsm@sph.com.sg

About the Singapore Press Holdings Foundation
The Singapore Press Holdings Foundation, a registered charity and an Institution of Public Character, was first set up as the Press Foundation of Singapore in January 2003 to help build a lifelong learning community that embraces language enrichment, creativity, diversity, healthy living and sports. The seed contribution of $20 million to the Foundation came from media group Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. It was renamed Singapore Press Holdings Foundation in May 2005.