FairPrice and South East CDC team up to raise half a million bowls of rice in aid of 5,000 needy families

Singapore’s leading supermarket retailer NTUC FairPrice and South East Community Development Council (CDC) today launched the NTUC FairPrice Walk for Rice @ South East charity campaign. The campaign aims to raise half a million bowls of rice for 5,000 needy families residing in the South East District.

This is the first time that FairPrice, together with its business partners and South East CDC join hands to rally the community to reach out and help needy families. Members of the public can help raise half a million bowls of rice in two ways:

• Walk for Rice at selected FairPrice outlets or at various walking activities organised by South East CDC.
• Purchase participating products at all NTUC FairPrice supermarkets during the campaign.

Guest-of-Honour, Mr Lee Yi Shyan, Minister of State for Trade & Industry, MP for East Coast GRC and Advisor to East Coast GRC GROs was present at the launch event to officiate the campaign, by leading the first walk within FairPrice supermarket at Bedok Central. Mr Matthias Yao, Mayor of South East District and Mr Tan Kian Chew, Group CEO of NTUC FairPrice were also present to lend their support by walking in the FairPrice supermarket.

“NTUC FairPrice Walk for Rice @ South East is among the many initiatives we organise to connect the community by bonding the people with a common purpose to provide assistance to families in need around us. We constantly work towards fulfilling our role as a social broker; bringing people in the District together and as a catalyst that influences social change for the better. We are grateful for dedicated members of community such as FairPrice, who come together with a common purpose to bring about positive change to the community we live in,” commented Mr Matthias Yao, Mayor of South East District.

The NTUC FairPrice Walk for Rice @ South East project is a community initiative that aims to promote a more caring society by getting the community to help the less fortunate through simple daily activities like walking and grocery shopping. The project hopes to garner mass participation from the community thus increasing the outreach and inculcating the spirit of giving within the community. For every 100 metres of walking contributed or every participating product purchased at any FairPrice supermarket, FairPrice and participating suppliers will pledge one bowl of rice to the project.

“As part of the community, FairPrice believes in not only offering the best value and service to our customers, but also in helping needy families meet their essential needs, especially during these challenging times. We are proud to work with like-minded organizations such as South East CDC, and our trusted business partners, in helping the less fortunate, as well as to promote a more caring society through community bonding initiatives such as NTUC FairPrice Walk for Rice @ South East,” said Mr Tan Kian Chew, Group CEO, NTUC FairPrice.

Members of the public who are interested to contribute their footsteps to this campaign can participate by walking at FairPrice supermarkets in Bedok North Street One, East Point, White Sands and Tampines Mall every Saturday from 12 till 26 September 2009, between 2pm and 6pm.

Apart from the walking campaigns at FairPrice supermarkets, South East CDC is also partnering schools, corporate partners, grassroots organisations and voluntary welfare organisations in the district to hold brisk walking events, where residents are able show their support. These events will culminate in the finale of the NTUC FairPrice Walk for Rice @ South East initiative which will be held in conjunction with South East Community Development Council’s Active Ageing Roadshow on 4 October 2009.

FairPrice customers can also show their support for Walk for Rice by simply purchasing any participating product. FairPrice has partnered 24 suppliers to run a charity promotion in all FairPrice supermarkets from 10 till 23 September 2009. There are in total 30 products on promotion for this campaign including essential food items such as cooking oil, bread, rice and other products including toiletries and detergents.

The 5,000 beneficiaries of this charity campaign consist of financially-assisted families residing in the South East District. They are identified by grassroots organizations. The rice will be distributed to the families over a period of five months.

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About South East CDC

South East CDC was set up on 24 November 2001. It oversees the Marine Parade Group Representative Constituency (GRC), East Coast GRC, Joo Chiat Single Member Constituency (SMC), MacPherson SMC and Potong Pasir SMC, and serves a population of about half a million residents.

At the helm of South East CDC is Mayor Matthias Yao Chih, who steers efforts in achieving the three strategic thrusts that guide the work of the CDCs. Termed the ‘ABCs of Community Bonding’ — Assisting the Needy, Bonding the People and Connecting the Community — South East CDC initiates and manages programmes in collaboration with both community and corporate partners along these three strategic thrusts, so as to nurture a vibrant and self-reliant community.

South East CDC also supports its community partners from the schools, grassroots organisations, Voluntary Welfare Organisations and other social service agencies to facilitate and empower them in their programmes to assist the needy and bring the community together. The CDC also believes and invests in building the capacities of our partners to provide services that will help residents achieve self-reliance in the long run.

South East CDC plays a bridging role by initiating programmes which allow people of different ages, races and walks of life to interact and connect with one another. Wherever possible, such programmes should achieve a multiplier effect with positive spin-offs that the CDC can support and replicate over time to involve more of our residents.

Vision

An active and vibrant South East District where residents and stakeholders feel a strong sense of belonging

Mission

To nurture and catalyse the community by bonding, bridging, linking and enabling our stakeholders

For more information on South East Community Development Council, visit: http://www.southeastcdc.org.sg or http://www.facebook.com/secdc