COMMUNITY
“THE PO LEUNG KUK IS AN ORGANISATION TRULY WORTH DONATING TO. IT IS FAMILY TO HONG KONG CITIZENS, TAKING CARE OF THE NEEDY, FROM CHILDREN OF A FEW MONTHS TO SENIORS. EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN NEED CAN BENEFIT FROM PO LEUNG KUK SERVICES.” —HELENA PONG
PO LEUNG KUK
Originally named the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, the Po Leung Kuk was established in the late 19th century to combat the abduction and trafficking of women and children in Hong Kong. Since then it has expanded into one of the largest charitable organisations in the city, offering social, educational, recreational and cultural services to the elderly, children and young people, and families. The Po Leung Kuk Charity Fund for the Disadvantaged, in particular, provides financial assistance that goes towards the daily, educational and medical expenses of disadvantaged individuals and families. poleungkuk.org.hk
New Campaigns:
The Po Leung Kuk expanded its special childcare services into Tai Po in March, setting up the new Po Heung Child Development Centre with funding from the Social Welfare Department. The centre provides training and treatment to newborns and children up to age six.
How To Help?
Make a one-off donation or become a sponsor; join the Po Leung Kuk’s Child Sponsorship Programme; dedicate your legacy to the organisation; have your company co-organise a fundraising event; join one of the Po Leung Kuk’s many events; volunteer your time; or sign up for a Po Leung Kuk credit card, with the bank donating 0.6 per cent of spending to the organisation.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HONG KONG
Habitat for Humanity International was founded in 1976 in the US with the goal of ensuring that everyone in the world has a decent place to live. Established in 2006, Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong is dedicated to raising awareness of the need for decent, affordable housing in the city, as well as improving living conditions across the region. Through Project Home Works, volunteers work alongside technicians to provide free home repairs for the elderly, low-income and disabled people in Hong Kong. Project School Works beautifies schools across Hong Kong through murals and raises awareness of local housing issues among students with the board game My City. Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong also raises funds for reconstruction work in places affected by natural disasters. habitat.org.hk
In The Diary:
Global Village Home Build in Hawaii, December 9-16; Global Village Home Build in Indonesia, June 9-14, 2019.
New Campaigns:
In April Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong was the beneficiary of the inaugural Race the Runway event at Kai Tak Runway Park, where more than 1,000 runners—including actress and martial arts star Juju Chan— raised $120,000 for the charity.
How To Help?
Make a donation; or join one of Habitat for Humanity’s projects, either in Hong Kong or abroad.
FOODLINK FOUNDATION
Every day in Hong Kong 3,600 tonnes of food waste go to landfills—landfills that will be full by 2020. Meanwhile, up to 1.6 million people live below the poverty line and often can’t get enough food, with negative effects on their health. Founded in 2001 by Vanessa Hwang, Foodlink aims to bridge this gap by collecting surplus food from hotels and F&B outlets throughout Hong Kong and placing it in the hands of those in need. With its goal of ensuring that every person in Hong Kong has access to hot meals every day, Foodlink on average saves 12 tonnes of food and provides 29,000 meals every week. Its work is divided up into a number of programmes: hot food, bread, banquets, trimmings (edible food disposed of by restaurants due to presentation concerns) and products (mostly canned and packaged food). foodlinkfoundation.org
In The Diary:
Winter Solstice Festival Party, December 15; 10th Anniversary Celebration, early 2019.
New Campaigns:
This year Foodlink was awarded the Certificate of Merit at the Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence in recognition of its sustainability efforts.
How To Help?
Make a monetary or food donation; become a corporate sponsor; start a fundraiser; or volunteer your time.
“CROSSROADS FOUNDATION IS A LOCAL CHARITY THAT REALLY TAKES ONE MAN’S WASTE AND TURNS IT INTO ANOTHER’S TREASURE, IN THAT IT RECYCLES HIGH-QUALITY DISCARDED EXCESS GOODS FROM HONG KONG AND REDISTRIBUTES THEM TO PEOPLE IN NEED LOCALLY AND AROUND THE WORLD.” —BARNEY CHENG
THE COMMUNITY CHEST OF HONG KONG
Non-profit organisation the Community Chest is one of a handful of fundraising bodies across the globe that, because of its independent status and lack of funding from government, is able to dedicate all of its funds to the causes it champions. Founded in 1968 in response to social problems brought about by Hong Kong’s population spike in the 1960s, the Community Chest’s original goal was to raise funds for local social welfare agencies to improve their services, following the departure of several international agencies.
Since then the Community Chest, led by president Charles Lee, has raised funds for more than 160 agencies focused on children and youth, child and family welfare, the elderly, health, rehabilitation, and community service. It organises more than 40 fundraising events every year, including signature events Walks for Millions, Dress Casual Day and Flag Day. commchest.org
In The Diary:
Love Teeth Day, December 5; Social Innovation in Motion pitching competition, sign up by December 31; The Community Chest 50th Anniversary Walk for Millions, January 6, 2019; The Community Chest Corporate Challenge, January 20, 2019.
How To Help?
Make a donation or join one of the Community Chest’s many events.
HONG KONG FEDERATION OF WOMEN
Established in 1993, the Hong Kong Federation of Women is a non-profit dedicated to bringing Hong Kong women together, protecting their rights, encouraging their interest and participation in local issues, and collaborating with similar organisations worldwide. It has more than 2,000 individual members and more than 100,000 corporate members. The organisation runs over 100 events and service projects a year, from celebrations and exhibitions to seminars and training programmes, including pioneering projects such as the Hong Kong Women of Excellence in the Six Arts Award and Hong Kong’s first all-women orchestra. Its six-month Young Women Actualization Programme attracted a record number of participants this year.
In addition to organising programming, the federation also advocates for women by submitting position papers, and subsidises local women’s associations’ community service. In Mainland China the federation has set up 24 vocational schools and four clinics, and donated water wells and vehicles to cater to the needs of women living in remote areas. hkfw.org
How To Help?
Become a member (the federation has ordinary, voting and corporate memberships), which gives you the option of applying to one of the federation’s committees.
CROSSROADS FOUNDATION
The Crossroads Foundation began in 1995 when husband-and-wife founders Malcolm and Sally Begbie responded to a call for aid from a flooded area of northern China. The endeavour continued to grow until it became an NGO collecting and distributing relief supplies and other essentials to areas in need in Hong Kong and beyond. Since then Crossroads has introduced a variety of other projects: Global Hand, a platform that connects communities in need with businesses looking to provide help; Global Handicrafts, a shop that sells crafts made by individuals originating from poor, war-torn or crisis-torn areas; and Global X-perience, a range of simulating experiences that aim to promote understanding of various problems, from water shortages to HIV. crossroads.org.hk In The Diary: Special opening hours for Christmas shopping at Global Handicrafts, Christmas season 2018; refugee simulation at the World Economic Forum, January 2019.
New Campaigns:
In 2018 the Crossroads Foundation provided aid to Hong Kong villages recovering from typhoon Mangkhut, responded to the earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia, and was a beneficiary of the Ireland Funds Gala in October.
How To Help?
Make a one-off or recurring monetary donation; donate used furniture, household goods and other items, or organise a collection of such items; hold a fundraiser; volunteer your time; or patronise Crossroads’ Global Handicrafts shop or Silk Road Cafe.
INTERNATIONAL CARE MINISTRIES
International Care Ministries provides help to families living in extreme poverty in the Philippines. The organisation finds the country’s poorest families and implements strategies backed by research that deliver the greatest impact at the most affordable cost. ICM helps hundreds of thousands of the Philippines’ poorest every year, increasing their incomes, fighting illness and promoting psychological well-being.
The cornerstone of ICM’S work is its Transform programme, in which local pastors and ICM staff provide a four-month training course to poor families, teaching them how to tackle common problems and encouraging connections among the community. ICM also works with local churches, providing them with mentoring and training. ICM’S signature fundraising event is its annual Hong Kong banquet and auction. caremin.com
New Campaigns:
This year International Care Ministries celebrated its 25th anniversary. New efforts for 2019 include funding surgery for more than 200 poor children suffering from cleft lips, club feet and other disorders, and rescuing more than 1,000 children from malnutrition.
How To Help?
Make a one-off or monthly donation; join an immersion trip; host a virtual reality party in your home or office; volunteer your time as a graphic designer, event planner, fundraiser and more; or become an ambassador.
FAITH IN LOVE
Founded in 2008 by Gigi Chao, the Faith in Love Foundation aims to alleviate poverty, encourage volunteering and promote the arts. The organisation has a special focus on supporting children and young people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, and works with a variety of partner organisations to achieve its goals, most notably the United Nations Development Programme. For the past two years the foundation has worked with the UN to empower underprivileged youth throughout Hong Kong and Asia. It has also supported the United Nations Volunteers and worked closely with the UN’S Being LGBTI in Asia programme to fight discrimination. This November, the Faith in Love Foundation also supported the UNDP in running the Youth Co:lab in Hong Kong, a youth entrepreneurship initiative that challenges young people to find solutions for problems in the region, and works with governments and companies to empower them to work on entrepreneurial projects that meet the UN’S Sustainable Development Goals. The Faith in Love Foundation runs frequent fundraisers and other events, from charity sales to charity golf days. faithinlove.org.hk
How To Help?
Make a donation or join one of Faith in Love’s events.
CARITAS HONG KONG
The aftermath of World War II led to an abundance of social hardships. Amid the upheaval, Caritas Hong Kong was founded in 1953 by the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong to provide relief and rehabilitation to people in need. Over the following 65 years the nongovernmental organisation has grown to offer a far-reaching wealth of community services, including social work, education, medical care and hospitality, at 250 units at more than 150 locations throughout the city.
The social work services of Caritas provide support to children, young people, families, the elderly and people with special needs. Its educational services encompass different levels of education, including pre-school, special and vocational, and community and higher education. The organisation’s medical services comprise both hospitals and clinics. Finally, its hospitality sector provides catering services and affordable places to stay for students, working people and guests of all kinds.
Caritas receives financial assistance from the government, the Community Chest and the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. With the help of supporters including Nancy Fung, it also runs fundraising campaigns throughout the year, from bazaars and raffle sales to walks and concerts. www.caritas.org.hk/en
How To Help?
Make a donation or join one of Caritas’ fundraising events or campaigns.
“IN THE YEARS SINCE ICM STARTED CARING FOR THE POOREST OF THE POOR IN THE PHILIPPINES, THERE HAS BEEN REMARKABLE GROWTH IN ITS SERVICE AND IT HAS BECOME KNOWN GLOBALLY, AND RIGHTFULLY SO, AS A LEADING NGO IN AREAS SUCH AS TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, EFFECTIVENESS AND FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY. BUT THE ASPECT THAT ENGENDERS IN ME A DEEP LOYALTY AND RESPECT FOR THIS ORGANISATION IS THAT IT HAS NEVER LOST ITS SOUL IN THE PROCESS. THE ICM TEAM REMAINS A GROUP OF COMMITTED LEADERS WHOSE SINGLE-MINDED FOCUS HAS BEEN TO HELP AND SERVE DESTITUTE PEOPLE.” —DOROTHY CHENG
WOMEN HELPING WOMEN HONG KONG
Non-profit Women Helping Women Hong Kong was founded by Mahnaz Lee and Patti Ho in 2010 with the mission of eradicating violence and abuse against women and children in the city. To achieve its aims, the organisation leverages its grant-making platforms and collaborates with NGOS. Women Helping Women Hong Kong has worked with the Hong Kong Family Welfare Society, the Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women, Rainlily and the Women’s Foundation to campaign against sexual violence and sexist portrayals of women in the media, and to provide tools aiding domestic violence victims, single mothers and other women in need. whwhk.org
New Campaigns:
This year Women Helping Women Hong Kong was a beneficiary of the Jessica Run event alongside three other local charities. All donations towards Women Helping Women are directed to the organisation’s counselling and therapy programmes for women and children facing domestic violence and abuse. The organisation also collaborated with the YWCA to launch the new 18-month Walking with You programme, which provides a network of support to separated and divorced women in Hong Kong.
How To Help?
Make a donation or volunteer your time.
“WOMEN HELPING WOMEN HONG KONG’S MAIN FOCUS IS TO ASSIST UNDERPRIVILEGED WOMEN FACING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN HONG KONG. EVENTUALLY I HOPE TO SEE THE ERADICATION OF ABUSE AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN HONG KONG, AND I HOPE I CAN CONTRIBUTE TO BUILDING A COMMUNITY WHERE DISADVANTAGED WOMEN CAN BETTER THEIR LIVES.” —MAHNAZ LEE
HELPING HAND
Founded in 1978, Helping Hand aims to enrich and improve the lives of Hong Kong’s senior citizens by meeting their needs for housing, care and more. Chaired by Johanna Arculli, the organisation started out rehoming elderly individuals living in cage homes; now it provides more than 700 beds to the elderly in six homes throughout Hong Kong. Three of them are residential care homes that look after those who can no longer take care of themselves, while the others are Housing for the Elderly, providing residential services with self-care facilities.
Tens of thousands of elderly people and their carers benefit from the organisation’s Holiday Centre retreat in Sai Kung, its Day Care Centre and its other support and outreach services, including hot meal delivery and the annual boccia competition. The organisation has also established a 300-bed integrated home in Mainland China. Helping Hand receives funds through donations and campaigns from a number of companies, including Healthbank, Shang Sin Chun Tong, Hysan, Haitong International Securities, CLSA and Bloomberg. helpinghand.org.hk
In The Diary:
Annual Cookie Campaign, from December onwards.
How To Help?
Make a one-off or monthly donation, volunteer your time or join one of the organisation’s campaigns.
WOMEN’S FOUNDATION
Research shows that women in Hong Kong make 22 per cent less than their male colleagues and hold only 13 per cent of company director positions on Hang Seng Index-listed boards. The Women’s Foundation was established in 2004 to challenge gender stereotypes, increase the number of women in leadership positions and empower women in poverty to lead better lives. The foundation’s projects for women and girls all fall under these three overarching aims, ranging from programmes inspiring underprivileged junior secondary school students to pursue STEM subjects, to financial literacy and employability training for groups of marginalised women. The foundation also runs more than 100 events a year, from panels and workshops to fundraisers. The Women’s Foundation works with NGOS, corporations, government organisations and schools; some of its affiliates include the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, Wisegiving and the Women’s Funding Network. Several powerful businesswomen back the Women’s Foundation, among them Irene Lee and Christina Gaw, the latter of whom sits on the foundation’s board. twfhk.org
How To Help?
Make a one-off or monthly donation; become an individual fundraiser or have your company, school or organisation collaborate with the Women’s Foundation on an event; host a screening of its documentary, She Objects; or sponsor one of the foundation’s signature events, such as its annual gala dinner or International Women’s Day lunch.
END CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE FOUNDATION
The End Child Sexual Abuse Foundation was founded by actress and child psychologist Josephine Siao Fong-fong in 1998 with the aim of protecting children and young people from sexual abuse. The organisation offers a variety of services: the Hugline hotline, which provides information related to child sexual abuse as well as a listening ear for callers; psychologist referrals for victims and their families; educational workshops for parents and teachers that raise awareness about the issue; and a Leisure and Cultural Services Department-funded corner at Sha Tin Public Library dedicated to research materials about the topic. In addition, the foundation commissions and publishes academic research further investigating the issue.
It also offers sex education programmes, which aim to educate primary and secondary school students about sexual issues and how to protect themselves against abuse. The programmes take an interactive, multimedia approach, with two mobile classrooms touring primary schools. A version of the programme for students with learning disabilities was launched in 2008. Most of the foundation’s workshops and educational programmes are in Cantonese. ecsaf.org.hk
How To Help?
Make a one-off or monthly donation; sponsor one of the organisation’s services; or volunteer your time.
WAI YIN ASSOCIATION
The charitable Wai Yin Association was founded in 1982 by a group of former Miss Hong Kong beauty pageant winners and finalists to help people in need, including the elderly, children and those suffering from poverty or poor health. The association, whose honorary life president is Loletta Chulo, is also dedicated to supporting local arts and culture. It has organised or supported more than 500 activities to raise funds for community centres, schools and charitable organisations in Hong Kong and throughout Asia, including charity balls and dinners, visits to centres for the elderly, schools and other institutions, and study tour scholarships. In 2008 the Wai Yin Association was awarded a Citation for Impact on the Community by the Hong Kong Management Association at the HKMA/TVB Awards for Marketing Excellence. waiyin.org.hk
New Campaigns:
This year the association focused its charitable efforts on alleviating problems facing Hong Kong youth today, including the lack of affordable housing and employment opportunities, alcohol and drug abuse, and cyberbullying.
How To Help?
Make a donation or become a corporate sponsor.
TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS
Hong Kong’s first and largest charitable organisation, the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (TWGHS) was founded in 1870. It began with Tung Wah Hospital, which offered Chinese medicine and a range of free services to the local community, such as medication, education and aid to victims of natural disasters. Now the group has more than 300 service centres, including five hospitals, 30 Chinese and Western treatment and health centres, 55 education units and 229 community service centres. These units provide rehabilitation and community services for families, young people and the elderly. The group also focuses on cultural and heritage preservation through its records and heritage service units. The group is also a dedicated green organisation and is constantly working to improve its environmental credentials and promote similar behaviour across Hong Kong.
The group runs a variety of fundraising events, including the Charity Cantonese Opera; the annual Flag Day; a charity golf tournament at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen; and the annual Charity Gala TV Show, Charity Dinner and Challenge Race. Several prominent Hongkongers support the charity: Philip Ma is currently its fourth vice chairman and Orlando Ho, Derrick Fung and Crystal Choi are all directors. www.tungwah.org.hk/en
How To Help?
Make a one-off donation, join the Friends of Tung Wah monthly donation scheme, or attend one of the group’s fundraising events. All donations are guaranteed to go directly to the group’s services.
“WHEN I WAS 20 YEARS OLD, I LOST MY BEST FRIEND, A WONDERFUL YOUNG WOMAN WHO WAS BEAUTIFUL, BRIGHT, ATHLETIC, POPULAR AND DESTINED FOR SUCCESS, BUT WHO ONE DAY, OUT OF THE BLUE, TOOK HER OWN LIFE. IT WAS ONLY ABOUT 10 YEARS AFTER HER DEATH THAT THE REASON SHE COMMITTED SUICIDE SURFACED: SHE HAD BEEN REPEATEDLY SEXUALLY ABUSED SINCE THE AGE OF SIX BY A RELATIVE. THE PAIN OF KNOWING THIS SO LATE IS SOMETHING THAT I STILL FEEL, AND I ALWAYS WONDERED WHAT I COULD HAVE DONE TO HELP HER. TO THIS DAY, THIS SUBJECT IS STILL VERY TABOO AND SO I TRY IN ANY WAY I CAN TO CONTINUOUSLY SUPPORT THE END CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE FOUNDATION.” —PETER CHEUNG