Beautiful.me will take your donations and turn them into rice for the needy

Source: Beautiful.me.  Beautiful.me signs the memorandum of understanding with Community Chest. From left: Elise Wong, CRM Executive, Beautiful.me; Mae Kng, Senior Associate Director, Community Chest; Olive Tai, MD, Beautiful.me; Wileen Chen, Manager of Relations & Engagement, Community Chest.

Beautiful.me has launched the Giving Is Beautiful campaign in collaboration with Hak Yong Company, a rice importer and distributor, and the Singapore Community Chest. The initiative aims to inspire Singaporean online shoppers to donate money that will be used to purchase rice for the needy.

According to the Singapore-based members-only online shopping platform, which offers high-quality beauty, health, personal care and baby products, some 12% to 14% of Singapore residents live in poverty. As part of Beautiful.me's corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, every S$1 donated will be used to purchase 1kg of rice, which will then be distributed to 10 local beneficiaries, including the Pertapis Education and Welfare Centre.

In addition, Beautiful.me will reward each donor with 'beauty coins' which can be used to purchase items on the Beautiful.me website. All proceeds from the Giving Is Beautiful campaign go directly to the participating beneficiaries. 

“CSR is always one of the focuses for Beautiful.me, as we believe that ecommerce sites are not only for shopping but a platform to do good. Many would like to donate items such as rice but are deterred by its bulkiness. Beautiful.me serves as a medium to enable the public to do good, and deliver rice to the beneficiaries,” said Olive Tai, MD, Beautiful.me. 

Chairman of the Singapore General Rice Importers Association Andrew Tan, said, “Compared to toys, clothes and other items commonly donated to the less fortunate, rice is one of the most essential items when comes to a meal for the needy families It is also one of the most bulky items to be delivered and donated by individuals public. That is why Beautiful.me and Hak Yong decided to step in and fill up the gap.” 

Ng Lingling, MD, Community Chest and Group Director Fundraising & Engagement of the National Council of Social Service said, “We are heartened by Beautiful.me's efforts in encouraging their online buyers to donate rice to the less fortunate through the charities supported by Community Chest, with their commitment to match a dollar to each kilogram of donated rice. This initiative will bring joy to those in need and demonstrate the collective impact of giving in building a caring Singapore.” 

Interested?

From now till 31 December 2016, donate as little as S$1 to donate an equivalent number of rice in kilograms. A confirmation notice and invoice will be sent by email. Donors need to sign up for a free account at www.beautiful.me to track the amount donated, trace invoices, and receive updates on CSR activities.

View the video about the Giving Is Beautiful campaign

LuLu Group and Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity launch Ramadhan campaign

Source: LuLu Group website.

Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity & Humanitarian Foundation has partnered with the LuLu Group to distribute shopping vouchers to over 4,500 deserving Emirati families throughout the UAE for Ramadhan. 

Ibrahim Boumelha, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity & Humanitarian Foundation with Yusuff Ali MA, Managing Director of LuLu Group International, in the presence of Saleh Zaher Saleh Al Mazroui, General Manager of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity & Humanitarian Foundation, and Salim MA, Director of LuLu Group, and other top officials.

Worth AED3.5 million, the vouchers have face values of AED500 and AED1,000 and can be redeemed for food items throughout Ramadhan at any LuLu outlet in the UAE. Discounts amounting to AED157,500 will also be extended by the LuLu Group for the initiative.

Ibrahim Boumelha said, “More families will benefit from the project this time and this project is of great importance to the Foundation as it cooperates with its partners in charity within the UAE for the distribution of the smart cards (vouchers). We also extend our gratitude to LuLu Group for partnering with us for this noble cause.”

Yusuff Ali M.A. said, “The foundation offered its best efforts to serve residents in the region during Ramadhan to develop an action plan for early implementation to reach the beneficiaries in the right time avoiding last-minute rush.”


This is the 8th year such a joint initiative is being carried out. AED20 million worth of vouchers have so far been issued in total.This is the 8th year such a joint initiative is being carried out. AED20 million worth of charity cards have so far been issued in total.

Rahmatan Lil 'Alamin Foundation spearheads charity drive for Syrian refugee children

Source: MUIS.

The Rahmatan Lil 'Alamin Foundation (RLAF), in collaboration with mosques in Singapore, has kicked off a fund-raiser in aid of Syrian refugee children.

Part of an initial fund-raising effort in April this year, which netted S$240,000, was used to send relief in the form of food packages, hot food, medicines, clean water, school packages, and household items. 

S$150,000 has been set aside for the establishment of a school for children of Syrian refugees in the border town of Kilis in Southeastern Turkey. "This school will help to restore some semblance of normality, sanity and confidence in the hearts and minds of the young children," the charity said in a statement. "To make this school project possible, we will need to raise at least S$350,000 for the building, facilities and equipment needed for the school."

Donation boxes marked Singapore Muslim Community’s Special Collection for School Project for Children of Syrian Refugees have been placed at all 68 mosques till 11 December 2014. Those who are not able to make their contribution at the mosque can also offer their donation in cash or by cheque. The cheque should be made payable to “RLAF” with the words Special Collection In Aid of Syrian Refugees written on its back. The cash and cheques can be delivered to the MUIS building at the Singapore Islamic Hub, No. 273, Braddell Road Singapore 579702. In addition, members of the community can also make their contributions online via www.muis.gov.sg/epayment/Donations.aspx.

The RLAF is working with Kimse Yok Mu, a Turkish humanitarian agency, and Aid to Syrian Refugees in Turkey (ASRIT) for the project. Kimse Yok Mu will provide the teaching staff, remuneration and all the utilities needed for the school. Registration of students has already begun.