[COVID-19] Singapore Red Cross to launch public appeal to support affected and at-risk communities

Singapore, 4 February 2020 - The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) will launch a public appeal to deliver assistance and support communities in China, affected or at risk of being affected by the novel coronavirus outbreak. SRC welcomes the seed money which will be contributed by the Singapore Government towards this public appeal.

Mr Benjamin William, Secretary General / CEO, Singapore Red Cross, said, “Together with the International Red Cross Movement, we have been closely monitoring the situation since the onset of the crisis. We expect the outbreak to continue to spread in China and geographically with the number of new cases rising in the next days and weeks. Our planned response at this point is focused on assisting the communities worst affected in China. Our response plan will be adjusted based on ongoing developments and assessments. We look forward to working with organisations to support the relief efforts.”

Later today, a two-man team from Singapore Red Cross (SRC) will be going to the Asia Pacific Office of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), which is coordinating the Red Cross Movement response to the coronavirus outbreak, to discuss broad strategies and the areas of possible SRC support. Another person will be deployed to the IFRC Office in Kuala Lumpur, for the next few weeks, to support the response efforts of the Movement.  

Additionally, SRC will deploy one person to Beijing, China to work directly with the Movement response team there.  This will include the needs assessment of affected communities, as well as, strategising the response to meet these needs.  

Meanwhile in Singapore, the SRC has been engaging communities, online and offline, to promote behaviours that reduce the risk of contracting or transmitting the virus, and to facilitate community understanding and acceptance of infection prevention and control measures. SRC volunteers are providing advice to beneficiaries, especially vulnerable elderly persons, to help to prevent misinformation, rumours and panic. SRC has also posted informative prevention messages on social media.

2019 Novel Coronavirus Response

Online donation - Make an online donation here.

Cash donation - Red Cross House, 15 Penang Lane, Singapore 238486 (Office hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm)

Cheque donation - Please make cheque payable to ‘Singapore Red Cross Society’, to be posted to the above address. Please leave your name, postal address and indicate “Coronavirus Response 2020” at the back of your cheque.

Mobile Banking  (DBS/POSB only) - Select Bill > Select "To Billing Organization" > Recipents (for bill organization added) / One-Time Payment > Search for “SINGAPORE RED CROSS (DONATION)” >  Input "Coronavirus2020" (without any spacing) under Reference No.

Internet Banking (DBS/POSB only) -  Select "Pay" > Go to "Pay Bills" > Click "Add Biling Organization not in my pre-arranged list" > Select “SINGAPORE RED CROSS (DONATION)” > Key in the amount you would like to donate and your details > Input "Coronavirus 2020" under Bill Reference.

Paylah! App (Only applicable to Android’s phone) - Select “Pay” > Go to “Donation” > Key in the amount you would like to donate,  Input Coronavirus 2020 in "Type a Message box" > Click " Donate to" and select “SINGAPORE RED CROSS (DONATION)”. (Name of account holder and IC/Passport number will be auto-populated)

Notes:

  • Donations to overseas efforts are not tax-deductible.
  • In the event that donations exceed the expenses incurred by Singapore Red Cross in this specific disaster response, any surplus or unspent money, after 3 years from the date of inception of the fund, can be used to prepare for and serve communities affected by other disasters or may be used to complement or to sustain projects undertaken by SRC in helping the vulnerable in areas affected by disasters.

Photo Credit: China Red Cross Society