Project Awareness stops raising funds after COC query

SINGAPORE - Project Awareness, which gives low-income elderly people a free meal, has suspended its fund-raising activities.

The decision comes after the Commissioner of Charities (COC) wrote to its founder, singer Elson Soh, asking him to account for the donations.

A notice on Project Awareness' Facebook page said it is preparing documents for the COC "so that more transparency can be given to all parties".

While its ongoing food programme will continue, other activities like appealing for funds and visiting the elderly will stop for now.

Mr Soh, 25, who founded Project Awareness in February, started the meal programme in May and had been appealing for funds on its Facebook page.

The programme gives out food vouchers which can be used to redeem $2 meals from food stalls at a coffee shop at French Road.

A COC spokesman said that even though Project Awareness is not a registered charity and does not need to be one to conduct fund-raising activities, it has to comply with certain legal obligations.

COC is giving Mr Soh until Aug 28 to detail the procedures in place to ensure accountability to its donors.

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