By Sondra Foo, Corporate Communications and Marketing
Photo by Rachel Heng, Singapore Red Cross Academy
Today, some 70 staff of the Red Cross Home for the Disabled (RCHD) provide quality care to about 100 residents with multiple disabilities to ensure their physical, mental, emotional and social well-being.
Every year, Singapore Red Cross (SRC) needs to raise over $848,000 to effectively run the operations of RCHD. Expenses include the purchase of milk, diapers and wheelchairs, particularly for families that are unable to pay for these items.
To alleviate the families’ financial burden, SRC initiated the RCHD Residents Adoption Programme to provide corporates and individuals with the opportunity to lighten the financial burdens of families which are unable to pay for the essentials.
There are three tiers for adopters to select from based on your budget.
“The financial assistance will help such families as they can channel their limited cash to meet the families’ other needs,” explained Serene Chia, Director, Red Cross Home for the Disabled.
But beyond providing financial aid, this programme is also aimed at addressing the emotional and psychological needs of the residents.
“This programme is based on the principle that everyone deserves a friend; someone whom he or she can identify and connect with. Both the residents and adopters need friendship. Often, volunteers feel overwhelmed when they see so many residents; they do not know where to start. This programme provides a platform for volunteers to start caring for one resident,” explained Serene.
In this programme, adopters will need to commit for a one-year period to ensure that our residents and their families are assured of sustainable financial assistance for the coming year. Residents are pre-selected in this programme in order that all the residents, regardless of popularity, will get an equal opportunity to be loved and cared for.
To find out more about adopting a resident, please call the Red Cross Home for the Disabled at 6762 1029 or email RCHD.
Ashurst LLP, an international law firm, was the first adopter of the ‘Share Your Love Adoption Programme’. Ashurst adopted Phyllis Lim in April this year and will support Phyllis’ diapers, toiletries and clothings for a year.
“Adopting a resident is a good way of helping families with needs. Remembering those who are less privileged is an important part of being a citizen of society. It feels good to contribute time and give back to society. We visited and interacted with Phyllis in April,” shared Shen Mei Bolton, 27, a Legal Consultant with Ashurst LLP. Besides this, Ashurst employees also committed to visiting beneficiaries monthly via the FoodAid service.