Small companies giving more per donor to ComChest

SINGAPORE - ComChest also found that slightly larger companies with fewer than 500 staff have also maintained among the highest growth in each individual's average monthly donation over the past six years, compared to companies of other sizes.

Get the full story from The Straits Times.

Here is the full press release from Community Chest:

SHARE, Community Chest’s workplace giving programme, raised a total of $13.5 million for Financial Year (FY) 2012, a 5% increase compared to FY2011. 

 Small Companies Make Big Contributions 

Companies with staff strength of less than 500 showed strong support for SHARE. These companies registered among the highest growths in average monthly donation per donor over the past six years. For smaller companies with less than 100 staff, the average monthly donation per donor doubled, growing from $4.40 in FY2007 to $9.05 in FY2012.  

Langdon & Seah Singapore Private Limited, with staff strength of about 380, has supported SHARE since it began in 1984. Since joining SHARE, Langdon & Seah has seen its average monthly donation per donor increase by 43 per cent, from $4.45 in 1984 to $6.36 in 2012. 

Mr Tay Ter Long, Executive Director of Langdon & Seah said, “SHARE is a collective effort that leads to a visible and significant impact on our community in need. Through their monthly contributions, our staff can see the difference that each of their small and sustained gestures make to the lives of the needy. This culture of giving and sharing is one that our company values and hopes to nurture and grow, so that our staff can serve society meaningfully even within a work environment.”  

The SHARE programme was initiated in 1984 to help encourage sustainable public giving for the needy on a regular basis. The SHARE donations accounted for a third of donations raised by Community Chest every year. Over the past 30 years, the number of SHARE donors has increased from 40,800 donors in 1984 to over 220,000 donors today, contributing more than $325 million to date. 

SHARE Ambassadors      

Community Chest taps on SHARE Ambassadors to inform, promote and educate SHARE-related activities and initiatives among newly-hired employees as well as long-time staff in participating organisations. Previously known as SHARE Liaison Officers, the change in title reflects a bigger and more active role that these Ambassadors take on in inspiring others to be involved in SHARE. The SHARE Ambassador network was formed to allow Community Chest to engage our Ambassadors more extensively. SHARE Ambassadors can also tap on one another’s expertise, resources and connections to further the cause of SHARE to communities outside of their organisations. 

SHARE Ambassador, Mr Siddharth Kumar, who has been volunteering his time as a voluntary speaker, said, "Though I have only been a SHARE voluntary speaker for a year, I already had opportunities to share with about 10 groups of people, with the size ranging from 15 to 90 persons. It is a privilege for me to share the good work of the voluntary welfare organisations supported by the SHARE programme and tell about the lives of many needy individuals that have been changed because of their intervention. I am also happy that the audience has been welcoming and receptive, and am delighted to hear that my sharing has resulted in organisations contributing $7,000 to SHARE to date.”

Currently, there are more than 200 SHARE Ambassadors. Their efforts, together with other SHARE initiatives, have seen SHARE participation expand ten-fold in the past 30 years, from over 210 participating companies in 1984 to more than 2,200 today, spanning a wide spectrum of industries from both private and public sectors.