Singapore, 21 November 2018 – The Boys’ Brigade Share-a-Gift (BBSG) 2018 project was officially launched today at FairPrice Xtra Jurong Point by Guest-of-Honour, Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for Social and Family Development and Second Minister for National Development. To commence the season of joy and sharing, Mr Desmond Lee put together a food hamper for the first donation of BBSG 2018.
Launch of the PayNow QR Code
In line with reaching out to more people and making donations more accessible, the project has constantly worked towards growing digitally. This year, BBSG 2018 will be launching PayNow QR codes which will allow donors to contribute via PayNow QR codes printed on coin tins and distributed at the 12 collection points. The PayNow QR Codes are available on nine banks which include Bank of China, CitiBank, DBS/POSB, HSBC, ICBC, Maybank, OCBC, Standard Chartered and UOB.
Mr Lui Chong Chee, Chairman of BBSG 2018 shared, “As we move towards a cashless city, these PayNow QR codes will allow us to reach out to a larger pool of potential donors and to foster a more inclusive Smart Nation. Garnering support and help from the people around us, BBSG will constantly find ways to reach out and help out more beneficiaries. With our constant growth and development, we are confident that BBSG will always be a project that beneficiaries can look forward to during the season of giving.”
BBSG aims to spread love, care and festive joy to our beneficiaries in our community
One of the unique features of BBSG is the importance of involvement between the parents and families of BB Boys. During the project, BB Boys will be involved in donating food and delivering food hampers with their parents and/or other volunteer families.
Parents are encouraged to bring their children along as they participate in the project by adopting wishes, donating gifts and/or helping with the deliveries of the food hampers to the beneficiaries. This year, the Boys’ Brigade Share-a-Gift will be reaching out to a total number of 41,756 beneficiaries including 6,338 elderly and 1,268 children.
Generous donations by corporations and individuals key to achieving target
Once again, long-time sponsors Prudential Singapore and NTUC FairPrice have come on board to support BBSG once again. As a mark of its commitment to the community and to get Singaporeans to eat healthy, Presenting Sponsor Prudential Singapore has pledged to donate a total of 3,164 healthier choice food hampers. 500 sets of these hampers will contain healthier choice recipes which will allow beneficiaries to prepare healthy meals for their families at the comfort of their homes.
For the past nine years, Prudential has been working with the Boys’ Brigade. In 2017, the organisation will be donating S$2 million to be disbursed over 10 years. These funds will be used to buy food hampers for beneficiaries and fund BBSG’s operational, logistical and miscellaneous expenses. The life insurer expects that its employees and Financial Consultants will continue to contribute to the project.
Mr Wilf Blackburn, CEO, Prudential Singapore, said it is heartening to see growing interest in the programme. “Our employees and financial consultants have found it immensely meaningful to be able to give back to society by being part of the Share-a-Gift project. Not only do they feel more engaged with the community, they are able to build stronger bonds with colleagues, families and friends when they volunteer together. We hope this will help to promote stronger social ties and the spirit of volunteerism,” he said.
Mr Seah Kian Peng, CEO, NTUC FairPrice said, “FairPrice is privileged to partner The Boys’ Brigade in this signature project over the last 17 years. Beyond financial sponsorship, FairPrice also extends our support by providing convenient platforms to collect and distribute groceries to the beneficiaries, through the involvement of our physical stores and digital channel, FairPrice On. We will continue to strengthen our partnership and to galvanise the community to do good while spreading the festive cheer.
Official partners include, SMRT Experience and The X Collective, AXS Pte Ltd, Mediacorp Pte Ltd, ST Logistics Pte Ltd, Xodbox Pte Ltd and Asia PR Werkz. Other cash donors and sponsors include Far East Organisation, NTUC FairPrice, Bank of Singapore, Credit Suisse, Tan Chin Tuan Foundation, Auric Pacific Group and Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited (OCBC).
BBSG hope to reach out to the public for their support and to donate generously
From 21 November onwards, members of the public who wish to fulfil general wishes can place food items at any of the project’s 12 collection boxes island-wide. Those who wish to fulfil specific wishes can adopt a specific wish from any of the six Boys’ Brigade Share-a-Gift Specific Wish Trees in Singapore. They can also donate hampers valued at $20, $30, $50 and $80 via NTUC FairPrice’s online portal (www.fairprice.com.sg). Cash contributions can also be made through any AXS stations located island-wide.
Besides contributing a gift to beneficiaries, participants can also personally deliver the food hampers to beneficiaries from 3 to 28 December, from The Boys’ Brigade Headquarters (excluding eve of and on Public Holidays). Volunteers can register at www.bbshare.sg from 9 November onwards.
For more information, please call the BBSG hotline at 1800-227-4273 (1800-BB-SHARE) or visit its official website at www.bbshare.sg.
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