Children's Society scheme raises $1.8m in 2013
March 28, 2014
Melody Zaccheus
The Straits Times
BusAds director Alvin Yapp helped raise more than $150,000 through a concert.
Singapore Children's Society raised more than $1.8 million through its 1000 Enterprises for Children-in-Need programme last year - up from $1.6 million the year before and far exceeding its annual target of $1 million.
Out of the 840 donors, almost 600 were companies, such as BusAds, whose director Alvin Yapp helped to raise more than $150,000 through a charity concert.
The money went to the refurbishment of RoundBox youth centre in Toa Payoh and paid for such things as acoustic guitars and breakdance classes for about 650 young people.
The 44-year-old's charity work was recognised last night at a ceremony at Four Seasons Hotel to mark the fifth year of the 1000 Enterprises programme, where he was also appointed as an ambassador for the society.
As ambassador, he will continue to rally support for the society among his network of business contacts and friends.
Addressing a crowd of 200 owners and representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises and multi-national corporations, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who was guest of honour, urged the firms to continue to build long-term relationships with welfare organisations and encouraged them to rope in friends, businesses associates and staff to give back to the community.
Said Mr Teo: "The only way a country can grow is if one generation works hard and leaves something for the next."