• FairPrice Foundation distributes $250,000 worth of daily necessities to needy residents of Bedok and Braddell Heights

SINGAPORE, 1 March 2015 – NTUC FairPrice (FairPrice) partners with Bedok and Braddell Heights Grassroots Organisations (GROs) to contribute $250,000 worth of daily essentials to 5,000 needy individuals and families residing in both constituencies.

The event today was held at Bedok in conjunction with Bedok’s Community For All Ages (CFAA) initiative; a localized master plan of initiatives introduced since July 2012 to ensure Bedok seniors above 60 years old can age in place, six common archetypes of seniors consisting of active agers, at-risk, caregivers, disabled, lonely or frail and needy seniors, will be benefiting from the programme. Bedok hopes to nurture their seniors on the importance of sustaining an active healthy living, and taking a more pro-active approach towards their well-being.

Mr Jonas Kor, Chairperson of the FairPrice CSR Committee and Director of Corporate Communications, NTUC FairPrice, said, “FairPrice is honoured that our supply partners like Abbott, along with community organisations like Bedok and Braddell Heights GROs are aligned with our efforts to do good and contribute to our community. Beyond philanthropy, we also recognise the importance of volunteerism where we may also contribute in time and effort.”

Volunteers from FairPrice and Abbott will also be assisting the GROs to pack and distribute the food items which include oil, canned food, and biscuits to the beneficiaries, which include the needy, lonely and frail seniors, at-risk seniors, disabled residents, along with active agers. Abbott volunteers will also educate the community on nutrition for healthy living and ageing gracefully.

This initiative is part of FairPrice’s ongoing volunteer programme to encourage staff to participate in its efforts to contribute back to the community. On 26 February this year, FairPrice announced its commitment to double the target of its FairPrice Volunteers’ Programme, from the 2,300 hours clocked in 2014, to 5,000 hours in volunteerism this year. FairPrice volunteers have contributed a collective 6,820 hours in volunteerism since 2012 when the programme was launched.

The FairPrice Volunteer Programme is customised according to staff preferences and interests and includes a wide range of volunteer activities for staff to choose from. This ranges from packing and distributing food to those in need, visiting beneficiaries’ homes or participating in excursions with them such as movies or park visits, and cleaning the homes of elderly residents who live alone.

FairPrice also continues to encourage and work with like-minded community organisations and business partners to contribute back to society, and seeks to align efforts to do good. In the past, the retailer has partnered South East CDC in their annual Walk for Rice event, amongst other efforts.

Mr Kor added, “Beyond our efforts to do good for the community, we also look to set an example to encourage like-minded organisations to give back as well. Together, we can make a much greater impact for our society.”

Mr Francis Koh, PBM, Chairperson of Bedok Active Aging Committee (AAC), said, “With more community partners collaborating with our CFAA programme, it will expand our resources and assistance to facilitate successful aging for Bedok seniors, and cultivate a better community for all.”

To date, FairPrice Foundation has contributed over $60 million to create a better life for the community in Singapore.

For more information on NTUC FairPrice, visit http://www.fairprice.com.sg.

-End-