$6.5 million channelled to Home Help Service through SP Heartware Fund

1. Singapore Power, together with its business associates raised more than $367,000 in support of the Singapore Power (SP) Charity Golf 2012 which will be held at the Singapore Island Country Club on Friday, 5 October 2012
    
2. The SP Charity Golf is Singapore Power’s key community outreach event for the year. All donations from the event are channelled to the Singapore Power Heartware Fund which is dedicated to supporting Community Chest’s Home Help Service programmes. These programmes help the needy elderly in our community age with hope and dignity.by delivering critical care services to them in their homes.
    
3. Since the launch of the SP Heartware Fund in October 2005, Singapore Power has raised more than $6 million for Community Chest in support of Home Help Service programmes. Needy seniors who live alone and are unable to cater to their basic needs are the main beneficiaries of the programme which include daily meal deliveries, assistance with personal hygiene and laundry, and transport to medical appointments.
    
4. The needy elderly remain the focus of Singapore Power’s community outreach endeavours in view of Singapore’s ageing demography. By 2030, it is projected that there will be 117,000 seniors who are semi-ambulant or non-ambulant, i.e. more than 2.5 times that of today¹ .
    
5. Mdm Yap Moi, 84, is one such recipient of the Home Help Service programme. Being frail and weak, Mdm Yap remains home-bound most of the time. Since 2008, Home Help Service has been stepping in to provide Mdm Yap, who lives alone, the much needed assistance to have a better quality of life. She receives hot meals daily and is provided with transportation and attendant services for her regular medical appointments. (Please see attached Annexes 1 & 2).
    
6. “With the kind and generous support of our business partners and staff, the 2,100 beneficiaries of the Home Help Service can continue to receive critical services such as meal delivery, assistance with daily living, and transport to medical care. The SP Heartware Fund makes it possible for them to age in their own homes and within their communities with grace and dignity,” said Mr Wong Kim Yin, Group Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Power.
    
7. One of the sponsors, Mr Fan Ke, Managing Director of Eastern Green Power Pte Ltd said, "The SP Heartware Fund is a worthy cause that helps the needy elderly in their activities of daily living. We are pleased to have been partnering Singapore Power for the past few years in raising funds for this cause, and we hope more companies will join us in service to the community."

¹ COS speech by Minister Gan Kim Yong on Ministerial Committee on Ageing Initiatives (7 Mar 12)

About the SP Heartware Fund

The SP Heartware Fund was launched in October 2005 to help the needy elderly in the community lead better lives. About 2,100 needy elderly have benefitted to date. The SP Heartware Fund supports the operations of seven Home Help Service programmes. These programmes, operated by voluntary welfare organisations, are:

• Dorcas Home Care Service run by Presbyterian Community Services
• THK Home Help Service East and THK Home Help Service West run by Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities Limited
• Sunlove Home Help Service run by Sunlove
• SWAMI Home Help Service run by Sunshine Welfare Action Mission
• Tembusu Home Help Service run by Sathya Sai Social Service
• TOUCH Home Care run by TOUCH Community Services

Singapore Power underwrites all fund-raising costs for the SP Heartware Fund. Every dollar raised for the Fund goes to the seven Home Help Service programmes administered by the Community Chest.

The Fund has also sponsored the purchase of vans and ambulances for the Home Help Service providers. THK Home Help Service East and THK Home Help Service West run by

About Singapore Power
Singapore Power Group (SP) is a leading energy utility group in the Asia Pacific. It owns and operates electricity and gas transmission and distribution businesses in Singapore and Australia.

Over a million industrial, commercial and residential customers in Singapore benefit from SP’s world-class transmission, distribution and market support services. The networks in Singapore are amongst the most reliable and cost-effective worldwide.

About Community Chest
Community Chest raises funds on a yearly basis to meet the needs of the social service programmes we help support. Community Chest ensures that the fund-raising and other operating costs are kept to a minimum. As these costs are covered mainly by Tote Board and Singapore Pools (Private) Limited, every dollar raised by Community Chest will be made available to social service programmes under its care. Visit comchest.sg for more information.

Issued by: Singapore Power Ltd
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                 www.singaporepower.com.sg

Widowed with no children, Mdm Yap lives alone in a one-room rental flat .She gets by on a modest allowance under the Public Assistance Scheme, Although her needs are simple, life has not been easy for her.

Being frail and weak, Mdm Yap remains home-bound most of the time with only the radio as a companion. On the rare occasion when her health permits, she would take short walks in her neighbourhood.

Sunlove Home Help Service – supported by the SP Heartware Fund, has been providing Mdm Yap with much needed assistance. Sunlove delivers hot meals to Mdm Yap everyday, and also provides transportation and escorts her for medical appointments.

Ms Nirmala suffers from Myotonic Dystrophy and other medical conditions. She suffered a heart attack and required permanent pacemaker insertion. Her siblings have similar health problems and her parents suffer from diabetes and hypertension.

Miss Nirmala lives with her parents and one sister. She has rented out her own flat and manages the financial needs from its rental.

Miss Nirmala used to ambulate slowly with a walking frame. Her condition has deteriorated. Now, she requires assistance in managing her activities of daily living. The family depends on a domestic helper to perform the household chores and help in their daily activities.

Miss Nirmala has to go to three hospitals for her regular medical appointments. As she is unable to move around independently, she needs to use a wheel chair and requires a caregiver to accompany her to the hospital.

Since 2008, Swami Home Help Service –supported by the SP Heartware Fund, has been helping Miss Nirmala by providing transport and attendant service to take her to the hospitals. Like Miss Nirmala, both her parents have also been receiving help from the Swami Home Help Service for their medical appointments.