Where to donate and how to help charities during Covid-19
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PUBLISHED ONMay 06, 2020 2:57 AMByGeralyne Ong
During this Covid-19 circuit breaker, while many of us are cooking up a storm in the kitchen or ordering food delivery, there are some who are going to bed hungry.
Within the last month, most of our lives have taken a 180 degree turn.
What's common for every single person in the world right now? Awaiting the day's Covid-19 numbers with bated breath, staying home, wearing a mask every time you leave the house, maintaining social distancing guidelines when out, and trying to stay sane when working from home.
These lifestyle changes may be drastic, but for some, these changes come in the form of losing their jobs or having trouble putting food on the table.
The tightened circuit breaker measures have caused loss of jobs for many lower-wage workers or have their wages cut.
While the government has been quick to introduce special Covid-19 relief funds and a one-off $600 Solidarity payment, it isn't enough to help the needy tide through these trying times. Fortunately, there's more that we as Singaporeans can do to help.
So, if you want to make a positive change during this increasingly difficult time, here are some charities and community-led efforts you could consider donating to during Covid-19 (and rack up dollops of good karma while you're at it!).
Low income families
| Name | What they do | How Can You Help? |
| The Food Bank Singapore | Provides hearty meals to families in vulnerable communities. | Donate to their cause here. |
| Free Food For All | Distributes hygiene kits that include face masks, soap bar, body soap and hand sanitisers to low-income families. | Donate to their cause here. |
| Raydy Gives | Provides 300 to 500 hot meals daily to those in need until the end of the Circuit Breaker. | Donate to their cause here. |
| #WeCareSG Leave No One Behind | Provides basic necessities to over 50,000 families living in rental flats. | Donate to their cause here. |
| Food From The Heart | Provides hearty meals to families in vulnerable communities. | Donate to their cause here. |
Not everyone has a rainy day savings fund. The economic impact of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis has affected many, but the biggest impacted section is undoubtedly low-income families who were already struggling to make ends meet.
The above charities deliver hot meals, hygiene kits, and basic necessities to these families, many of whom have young children and elderly at home.
Elderly
| Name | What they do | How Can You Help? |
| O’Joy Care Services | Provides hand sanitisers to the elderly. | Donate to their cause here. |
| YWCA Meals-on-Wheels | Distributes hearty meals to the elderly and children around Singapore. | Donate to their cause here. |
| Caregiving Welfare Association | Provides personal hygiene (bathing/grooming), light housekeeping, medication reminder, medical escort service and companionship for homebound seniors. | Donate to their cause here. |
| Buy A Meal For The Needy Elderly | Provides hearty meals to the eldery living in rental estates. | Donate to their cause here. |
| COVID-19 Food Support for People-In-Need | Fresh groceries for cancer patients and elderly people. | Donate to their cause here. |
Not only are they most at risk of contracting Covid-19, but mobility could prove to also be a difficult task for the older folks. The above initiatives bring hot meals, groceries, hygiene products and some much-needed cheer (especially for the elderly who live alone) to their doorstep.
Animal shelters
| Name | What they do | How Can You Help? |
| SOSD | Rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes stray dogs to give them a second chance at life. | Donate to their cause here. |
| Action for Singapore Dogs | Feeds and provides medical care to over 150 stray dogs. | Donate to their cause here. |
| Love Kuching Project | Rescues and rehabilitates sick or injured community cats, and promotes the love of cats as companions through cat therapy. | Donate to their cause here. |
| Animal Lovers League | Feeds and provides medical care to over 500 dogs and cats. | Donate to their cause here. |
| OSCARS | Feeds and provides medical care to over 100 stray dogs. | Donate to their cause here. |
Yes, animals need extra TLC too. With the tightened Circuit Breaker measures in place, donations have taken a hard hit as adoption drives (which helps shelters get most of their donations) are no longer allowed to be conducted.
Apart from donating money, shelters also accept donations in the form of dry kibble, wet food and pet cleaning supplies - you can reach out to the shelter directly for more information.
Note: Most online pet shops offer these pet essentials at discounted prices if you are purchasing it as a donation to an animal shelter and would even include free delivery.
Migrant workers
| Name | What they do | How Can You Help? |
| It’s Raining Raincoats | Provides migrant workers with hot meals and basic necessities. | There are a few ongoing campaigns that are in collaboration with other nonprofits. More information can be found here. Contact: Janelle: 8200 2985 Reshma: 9427 0619 Jenna: 9187 1007 |
| Hope Beyond Borders 2020 | Provides migrant workers with basic needs and support for other migrant worker partners on the ground. | Donate to their cause here. |
| Covid-19 Migrant Support Coalition | Provides migrant workers essentials like food, sanitary products, daily essential items or accommodation during the Circuit breaker. | Donate to their cause here. |
| Transient Workers Count Too | Provides prepaid SIM card top-up credits to migrant workers. (It might seem frivolous but for quarantined migrant workers, this is their only connection to the outside world and their families back home). | Donate to their cause here. |
| #COVID-19 Migrant Welfare Package | Provides migrant workers with food and personal hygiene supplies. | Donate to their cause here. |
They've helped build our metropolitan skyline and homes, so why should we hesitate to help them when they are in need?
Statistically, cases erupting among foreign workers have been making up the bulk of Covid-19 numbers in Singapore. At a time like this, it is pertinent to take into consideration their lack of space and living conditions in the dormitories, and come up with measures that help them in the long run.
This is a good time to choose compassion and kindness by donating to a charity or a nonprofit organisation that provides basic necessities like food, water, and mobile top-up credits to affected foreign workers.
Of course, these lists are not exhaustive and there are more causes you can donate to. They can be found at portals such as SGUnited, I Am A Community Circuit Breaker and Giving.sg
For the latest updates on the coronavirus, visit here.
This article was first published in SingSaver.com.sg.