Speech by President Tony Tan at President's Challenge 2014 Thank You Reception

Mr Chan Chun Sing
Minister for Social and Family Development

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

        Good evening. Welcome to the President’s Challenge Thank You Reception. My wife and I are certainly very happy to be with you here tonight. 2014 has been an eventful year for the President’s Challenge. We continue to do our part to encourage individuals and corporations to give back and make a difference in the community. Many have volunteered, made donations or supported social causes.

        I am happy to see corporations doing more as part of their corporate social responsibility towards the community. Corporations in particular have much to offer. I visited SPD in September this year and saw a good example of a company mobilising its financial and human resources to help persons with disabilities. Since 2006, Microsoft has been actively supporting SPD and its beneficiaries and many employees of Microsoft have volunteered at SPD for many years. 

        Microsoft set up an Infocomm Accessibility Centre in SPD to provide IT training for persons with disabilities and offered Microsoft-funded scholarships to youths with disabilities at SPD. Microsoft employees also coached SPD beneficiaries in IT training and conducted programmes at SPD’s day activity centre. Through Microsoft’s long-term commitment and targeted approach towards SPD, it has provided both hardware and heart-ware to enable persons with disabilities to acquire useful and relevant IT skills. 

        Beyond donating money, Microsoft has rallied and supported its employees towards this worthy cause. During my visit, I observed first-hand how engaged Microsoft employees were putting their skills to good use to coach SPD beneficiaries in IT training. 

Their other colleagues were equally enthusiastic in running programmes at SPD’s day activity centre. I could not help but notice the close bond between many of the beneficiaries and volunteers. I found out later that many of these volunteers had been volunteering at SPD for several years! The interaction and bonds were clearly valued by both the Microsoft volunteers and the SPD beneficiaries.

        Microsoft is one of many corporations that have contributed to the community. This year, some 90 organisations and more than 9,000 volunteers participated in the President’s Challenge Volunteer Drive. They contributed their time and skills to help over 100 charities and voluntary welfare organisations.

        Yet other corporations have chosen to support social enterprises or businesses with social causes. Just last month, I was delighted to join 80 corporations at the President’s Challenge Social Enterprise Corporate Networking event. Companies such as Banyan Tree, Ben and Jerry’s, Uniqlo and Olwsang shared their experiences, offered their business know-how, networks and resources to help social enterprises grow, thrive and make a larger impact. I hope that the event will inspire more corporations to come on board.

        Individuals too are contributing their talents towards President’s Challenge. Mdm Lim Sew Yong will be holding a President’s Charity Art Exhibition. Mdm Lim, a painter who is also the founder of Raffles Fine Arts Auctioneers, has gathered 8 of her artist friends, some of whom are from the pioneer generation, to hold an art exhibition to raise funds for the needy. I think this is an excellent example of ground-up effort in rallying like-minded individuals to play an active role in helping our community. Mdm Lim has also persuaded Singapore Post to feature some of the pieces as commemorative stamps. This story is a good example of how each of us, perhaps with our friends and colleagues, can actively do our part.

        Other ground-up efforts include mass fund-raising at organisations and educational institutions. Participants of the President’s Challenge 2014 include the Nanyang Family of Schools (which comprises Nanyang Kindergarten, Nanyang Primary School and Nanyang Girls’ School) as well as Team Temasek (which includes Temasek Primary School, Temasek Secondary School and Temasek Junior College). They rallied together to raise funds and adopt the President’s Challenge Heart Buses. These colourful buses also helped to raise awareness and encourage all of us to make a difference.

        Recipients of kindness too can be givers of support. In the course of the President’s Challenge, I have met some of them who have benefited from acts of kindness and decided to pay it forward. Just two weeks ago, I met visually impaired pianist Robert Tan from Very Special Arts and Sophie Soon, a visually-impaired violinist who is receiving support from iC2 Prephouse. Both of them performed live on TV at the President’s Star Charity show to raise funds for others who need support.

        Ladies and Gentlemen, the President’s Challenge is a movement supported by the kindness and generosity of many people - young or old; rich or poor; fortunate or less fortunate; all of us can make a positive difference to the lives of other people. Through the generosity of many organisations, employees and members of the public, and with the continued support of the Singapore Tote Board and Singapore Pools in sponsoring the administrative cost, the President’s Challenge Fundraising will raise about $10 million this year. Together with government matching from the Care & Share movement, the total amount will be about doubled.

        The funds will go towards the good work of 64 beneficiaries. They include charities and voluntary welfare organisations that serve different beneficiary groups - disadvantaged children and youths, vulnerable families, persons with disabilities, former substance abusers and offenders, the sick and vulnerable elderly, children with special needs and many more. 

        Next year, Singapore will be commemorating 50 years of nation building.  As we celebrate our country’s achievements and look forward to the future, let us not forget those amongst us who have less or who may need a helping hand. They too are a part of Singapore; they are one of us. Our Jubilee year should be just as meaningful to them.

        Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to thank you for all your generous contribution and steadfast support to the President’s Challenge. I look forward to your continued support for the President’s Challenge next year as we continue to build a more inclusive society and caring Singapore. Thank you and have an enjoyable evening.