5 Singaporean Groups Offering Support To Frontliners
Call us what you will, but Singaporeans are a warm-hearted community.
We rallied to support nurses who faced discrimination for serving on the frontlines.
We urged everyone to #supportlocal, so our economy stays afloat. We asked others to spare a thought for migrant workers by donating their SingapoRediscovers vouchers.
2020 was a beautiful testament to the power of everyday people. But the battle isn’t over. As our medical and economic frontliners continue to hustle, more avenues for us to support them have surfaced.
Here are 5 inspiring Singaporeans/groups doing good work that you can support in 2021.
Help elderly hawkers by sharing ‘wheretodapao’
When dine-ins were banned for a month from 14 May, elderly hawkers had to grapple with the reality of seeing empty chairs and tables once again.
With limited digital literacy, they found it challenging to reach out to Singaporeans during Phase 2 Heightened Alert.
This is where Instagram page @wheretodapao strives to make a difference. Set up by Jocelyn, the page is the 24-year-old’s way of doing her best to help those in need.
Despite not knowing any of these hawkers personally, she embarked on a mission with her 2 sisters to spotlight technologically challenged elderly hawkers on the account.
“Growing up, we always had a soft spot for the elderly because we’re very close to our grandmother,” she told MS News.
It started out with Jocelyn and her eldest sister going out to interview hawkers and taking their pictures. Now, she’s inviting enthusiastic netizens to do the same, so she can share more profiles to boost their businesses.
To contribute, simply fill up this Google Form with the name of the hawker stall, their daily struggles, and operating hours. Check @wheretodapao out here.
Buy food for our dedicated frontliners with Hawker Heroes
Another initiative that deserves just as much recognition is Hawker Heroes. Despite the name, the initiative benefits both medical and economic frontliners, i.e. hawkers, healthcare workers and delivery riders.
How it works is that volunteers will buy freshly packed food from hawkers to support their business. Then, both healthcare & delivery heroes can get the chance to have their bellies filled with delicious hawker fare after their shift ends.
The people behind the initiative are regular folks like us, hustling for their jobs in the day and giving back to everyday heroes in their free time.
Click here to make a donation and spark a change in the lives of these frontliners.
Empower migrant workers through ItsRainingRaincoats
Armed with striking yellow safety hats and iconic ‘Phua Chu Kang boots’, migrant workers are often touted as the hidden backbone of our society.
By the sweat of their brows, they’ve built glimmering skyscrapers and highly coveted BTO flats in Singapore. Yet, some of them face discrimination during the pandemic.
ItsRainingRaincoats is a local initiative that aims to improve the quality of the workers’ lives so they feel valued and safe in our garden city.
There are many ways you can be a part of this. If you’re still holding onto your SingapoRediscovers vouchers and wish to use them for a meaningful contribution, donate them.
With the vouchers, you’ll be giving migrant workers a chance to visit the Singapore Flyer and experience what being a tourist for a day is like.
You can also tutor them in English or send them food from Starbucks. Every contribution counts. Check the website here to contribute to the cause.
Support frontliners in the aviation community
Travelling is not an option for us now, and we don’t have to tell you why. But as you yearn to capture Singapore’s bright blue skies from your aeroplane window seat once more, one group, in particular, has been harbouring the same dream.
They’re our aviation workers, who have seen dwindling flights and passengers at Changi Airport. Now, they’re keeping Singapore safe by filtering out the virus at our border.
Check out the Friends for Aviation community, which launched an initiative called ‘Bringing Back Blue Skies’.
From handing out care packages to writing heartfelt messages to cheer them on, members share the struggles of aviation workers and do their best to bring a smile to their faces.
They’re collecting kind messages from people on the ground. You can be a friend to the aviation community by sending them notes, telling them to soldier on.
Alternatively, you can also send them screenshots of text messages like the one below or slide into their inbox on Instagram and Gmail.
Words have the power to motivate people. Sometimes, they’re the best gift to our dedicated workers holding the fort in the face of Covid-19 risks.
Listen & talk to those in need of support at Samaritans of Singapore
These are trying times we live in, even more so for those struggling to cope with drastic changes brought on by the raging pandemic.
Suddenly, we face uncertainties over livelihoods and daily life. We’re forced to confront unsettling emotions like hopelessness and sadness as the Covid-19 crisis continues.
These stressors could take an emotional toll on us, but the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) is here to offer a listening ear.
While they may not be an initiative targeted at frontliners specifically, they offer round-the-clock support to anyone who reaches them via their 24/7 hotline, including frontliners who need a virtual hug. And their quest wouldn’t be possible without volunteers.
If you worry that you lack the skills, the good news is that you’ll be equipped with the necessary tools to help during your volunteer journey with SOS.
You’ll learn important skills for 6-10 months, like listening and giving appropriate responses to distress calls.
You may want to take note that this volunteering opportunity requires a higher commitment than the rest on the list above. Find out more here.
Giving frontliners the support they need
As the pandemic continues to rage around the world, it’s important to maintain positivity and spread kindness to those in need.
Kickstarting a volunteer initiative on your own isn’t easy. So, kudos to the bighearted people mentioned above who dedicate precious time and effort to ensure no one gets left behind in these trying times.
We hope their inspiration to give back to society will inspire others to do the same. A simple gesture of compassion could mean the world to those in need.
This post was brought to you in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Community & Youth (MCCY), in support of #SGTogether.
Featured image adapted from Facebook, Instagram & Instagram.
Drop us your email so you won't miss the latest news.
