It’s usually around this time of year that the spirit of giving hits an all-time high, but it’s always a good time to help improve the life of another person, especially society’s most vulnerable ones.
And as if you needed more reason to give, here are five reasons why giving is not only beneficial for those on the receiving end, it’s incredibly good for your health too:
- Giving can alleviate depression in both the short and long term – and people who volunteer have lower levels of depression.
- People who volunteer are more satisfied with their lives, have a stronger will to live, have less anxiety and fewer physical symptoms caused by psychological conditions.
- Older people who volunteer tend to live longer.
- Giving is good for heart! It stimulates oxytocin production which protects us from hardening of the arteries, dilates the blood vessels, reduces blood pressure, and may help the heart regenerate after damage.
- People who spend more money on others are generally happier than those who spend more money on themselves. Giving is truly better than receiving!
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Here are 10 ways to give back to society and make a difference in someone’s life this festive season (and beyond):
Fund cancer research and bring hope to those afflicted with childhood cancer by giving to the VIVA Foundation for Children with Cancer. They’re currently raising funds for the “VIVA-KKH Paediatric Brain and Solid Tumours Programme”. Every donation goes towards developing treatments and cures to increase the survival rate for kids with solid cancers, as well as improving medical care facilities and education for the children.
Visit their website for more details.
Bring joy to little ones and their families in need by supporting the Singapore Children’s Society’s (SCS) annual fund-raising project, A Little Kindness, Lots of Joy! Every amount donated will go towards providing important services such as a residential home care programme for abused children, Tinkle Friend (a national helpline for lonely children), family counselling services and more.
Visit their website for more details.
READ MORE: 8 Warning Signs That Your Child Or Teen Might Be Depressed
Room To Read (RTR) is a non-profit organisation that aims to help children, particularly girls, in countries like Vietnam, India, Nepal and Tanzania develop literacy skills so they can transform their lives and have a brighter future. Just S$70 can teach a child to read and write for a whole year!
Visit their website for more details.
The Red Pencil is a humanitarian organisation in Singapore that helps children, adults and families heal and build resilience in the wake of a traumatic event through arts therapy. Currently intervening in Kurdistan refugee camps of Qushtapa, all proceeds will help fund art therapy projects to help Syrian refugees there who’ve escaped from the clutches of IS (Islamic State), with the trauma of losing their homes etched in their minds.
Visit their website for more details.
Donate to the Association for Persons with Special Needs (APSN) to help those with mild intellectual disabilities achieve a brighter future through specialised education and vocational training programmes. This helps equip them with important skills for the workforce.
Visit their website for more details.
They left their homeland to help build ours, so the least we can do is help them when things go awry. Fund emergency medical care, food and shelter for migrant workers facing work-related injuries or errant employers by making a contribution to Transient Workers Count Too and tide them over a difficult period.
Visit the website for more details.
Wild animals like the pangolin are needlessly poached and sold as exotic pets or for their parts. Just $50 to the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (ACRES) can fund an entire day of wildlife rescue services, while $100 can cover a month’s medical costs for a rescued animal. You can also sign up as an animal guardian (or a volunteer).
Visit their website for more details.
Give away home appliances, furniture and other useful items you no longer use and that are still in good working condition to families and individuals in need via Pass It On. It’s an online platform that connects those in need to the general public.
Visit their website for more.
Every donation to Daughters of Tomorrow helps enable low-income women and single mothers gain confidence through skills-training, job-bridging programmes and more.
Visit their website for more.
Give our rescued strays a new lease on life by donating money or items, volunteering your time, fostering or sponsoring an animal via Oasis Second Chance Animal Shelter (OSCAS). You can also order their 2017 calendar for $11.70!
Visit their website for more details.
Visit www.giving.sg to discover more organisations and charitable causes you can support!
Text: Elizabeth Liew