Rebuilding lives and families

Pastor Richard Tay, President, Board of Governors, TNCM
Pastor Don Wong, Founder/Executive Director, TNCM
Board of Directors, TNCM
Distinguished guests, 
Ladies and gentlemen,

1. I'm very happy to join you this evening for The New Charis Mission's 8th Anniversary Celebrations. I've been to many anniversary events for voluntary welfare organisations or social service organisations, but this is the first time I'm attending a New Charis Mission event. I've heard a lot about the good work that The New Charis Mission has been doing from my colleague Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, and from Mr S Dhanabalan whom I met recently; he is unable to make it here today but he has shared with me his experience with The New Charis Mission.
   

2. So while The New Charis Mission may be a young organisation, you have done a lot of good work here in Singapore. You reach out to individuals from all walks of life, such as inmates and ex-offenders, ranging from elderly and young people. Your efforts bring hope and positive change to the people you serve. So let me start by acknowledging the contributions of the entire team at TNCM – the board, management and staff, as well as the many volunteers. I especially want to thank Mr Don Wong, Executive Director and Founder for his leadership, and for taking TNCM so far. Thank you very much for your good work.
   

3. As you are aware one of TNCM's key areas of work is the rehabilitation of inmates and ex-offenders, and their re-integration into mainstream society. Some people may have taken a wrong turn in life. But TNCM is there to believe in them, care for them, and help them realise their full potential.
   

4. For example, The New Charis Social Enterprise has provided employment for many ex-offenders and ex-drug addicts. It has a moving service which has expanded from a small team providing moving services, to a 50-man team that provides a whole range of services, like delivery, maintenance and painting.
   

5. TNCM has also inspired F&B social enterprises, namely Eighteen Chefs and Xin Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh. I'm sure you have tried all of them. Eighteen Chefs were involved in an event some months ago at ITE where the Prime Minister and a few of us were there, including many guests. They prepared the food and it was very good. So they provide very good opportunities to equip ex-offenders and youth-at-risk with skills, and give them a second chance. So I'm very pleased that both were winners at the President's Challenge Social Enterprise Award in 2012. These are very inspiring stories, they show how these employment opportunities can give those in need the confidence and motivation to lead different lives, to lead changed lives. 
   

TNCM's role in building community

6. In fact it's not just TNCM, because many organisations are also involved in this effort. That's why I'm confident that the spirit of giving is alive and well in Singapore.  We see more Singaporeans donating to causes they care about. We see many organisations and their volunteers working together to build stronger community bonds and reach out to the disadvantaged in society.

7. These are positive signs of how we are maturing as a nation. We have worked hard over the years to promote this spirit of giving. But, the Government cannot do this alone. So that's why I'm very happy  we have partners like TNCM, like all of you here, who have been at the forefront in promoting volunteerism and philanthropy, and helping us strengthen community bonds.

8. I would like to share one example of how TNCM has made a difference in someone's life. Mr Jacky Ong was imprisoned during his wife's pregnancy and he did not get a chance to play his role as a father for the first 3 years of his son's life. But he was motivated to change. He joined the residential programme at TNCM, he was given the opportunity to better and upgrade himself. He was mentored, and under the mentorship he learnt how to be a responsible father.  Today, Mr Ong is the leader of his family, a loving husband, a dutiful father. He has succeeded in establishing a stable career for himself.

9. Mr Ong's example is just one, I'm sure that there are many others like him, but it highlights an important lesson. That sometimes we may get caught in a vicious circle, sometimes we may make the wrong choices in life, but there is always a second chance to get things back on track. And in fact it's not just a second chance, but third, fourth, multiple chances to get things back on track. A person's life can still turn around when family, friends and community stand behind him or her. That's what TNCM stands for, that's what all of you believe in the work of TNCM: to give people second and multiple chances to get their lives back on track.

10. And I'm glad that TNCM is doing many more programmes, reaching out to young people and students at risk through mentoring. In the past year alone, TNCM has started working closely with youth offenders, in addition to reaching out to students, to raise their awareness through preventive talks in schools, to debunk drug-related myths.

11. Beyond this commendable work, TNCM is also going to the other spectrum of the age group, which means it is reaching out to the elderly as well.  Last year, TNCM expanded their reach from Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 to the rental blocks of Chai Chee Estate. So it hopes to reach out to more senior beneficiaries and needy families through home improvement projects, through its weekly home visitations and outings on special occasions.  And, I am glad that it is also planning to set up a Seniors Activity Centre.

Conclusion

12. So there's a lot of work that TNCM is doing. And I'm sure all of you are here today, because you believe in what TNCM stands for and the good work that it is doing. It is with the help of volunteers and individuals like all of you who quietly give your time and resources to contribute to a greater good, to serve a higher calling and that is why TNCM is able to do so much.

13. The Government will do its part. For example, we are celebrating our nation's 50th anniversary next year, so as part of the SG50 celebrations, we have launched the “Care and Share” programme. Under this programme, the Government will contribute $250 million in matching grants for contributions to the social service sector. So in other words, when you contribute to the sector, you will double the impact of your giving, and voluntary welfare organisations like TNCM will be able to channel more resources to programmes for their beneficiaries. So I understand that this is not only an anniversary dinner but also partly a fundraising dinner, so I'm using this opportunity to make a small pitch to give generously. Because your giving will be matched one for one by the Government.

14. What we are doing is really to promote this partnership to build a better society – with the government and community working together to help the poor and vulnerable in our society.  And I hope every one of you here will continue in this collective endeavour, so that we can join our hands and hearts, and build a fairer and more inclusive home here in Singapore. So on that note, thank you and have a pleasant evening.