COVID-19 Response

(Dear Friend, please note that donations to overseas efforts are not tax-deductible .

All funds raised will go towards the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Response and will not be used for local community support.

If you'd like to also make a donation to support and help our elderly in Singapore during this COVID-19 situation and receive 250% tax deduction, you're invited to do so on our fundraising campaign here: redcross.give.asia/helpelderlycovid19 . Or should you wish to help the Red Cross monitor and come up with strategies and plans to combat the next pandemic in Asia, consider giving to the Centre of Excellence for Pandemic Preparedness here: redcross.give.asia/campaign/centre-of-excellence-for-pandemic-preparedness . Thank you. )

Singapore, 4 February 2020 - The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) will launch a public appeal to deliver assistance and support communities in China, affected or at risk of being affected by the novel coronavirus outbreak. SRC welcomes the seed money which will be contributed by the Singapore Government towards this public appeal.

Mr Benjamin William, Secretary General / CEO, Singapore Red Cross, said, “Together with the International Red Cross Movement, we have been closely monitoring the situation since the onset of the crisis. We expect the outbreak to continue to spread in China and geographically with the number of new cases rising in the next days and weeks. Our planned response at this point is focused on assisting the communities worst affected in China. Our response plan will be adjusted based on ongoing developments and assessments. We look forward to working with organisations to support the relief efforts.”

Later today, a two-man team from Singapore Red Cross (SRC) will be going to the Asia Pacific Office of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), which is coordinating the Red Cross Movement response to the coronavirus outbreak, to discuss broad strategies and the areas of possible SRC support. Another person will be deployed to the IFRC Office in Kuala Lumpur, for the next few weeks, to support the response efforts of the Movement.

Additionally, SRC will deploy one person to Beijing, China to work directly with the Movement response team there. This will include the needs assessment of affected communities, as well as, strategising the response to meet these needs.

Meanwhile in Singapore, the SRC has been engaging communities, online and offline, to promote behaviours that reduce the risk of contracting or transmitting the virus, and to facilitate community understanding and acceptance of infection prevention and control measures. SRC volunteers are providing advice to beneficiaries, especially vulnerable elderly persons, to help to prevent misinformation, rumours and panic. SRC has also posted informative prevention messages on social media.

The Singapore Red Cross will be the one handling the funds.

The funds will be distributed in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross, with whom we are coordinating our response. We will also coordinate with the China Red Cross. Singapore Red Cross will take all the necessary measures to ensure that the funds collected are channelled to help the deserving communities.

Cash donation - Red Cross House, 15 Penang Lane, Singapore 238486 (Office hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm)

Cheque donation - Please make cheque payable to ‘Singapore Red Cross Society’, to be posted to the above address. Please leave your name, postal address and indicate “Coronavirus Response 2020” at the back of your cheque.

fundraising@redcross.sg

Singapore Red Cross is a homegrown humanitarian organisation, dedicated to relieving human suffering, protecting lives and dignity, and responding to emergencies since 1949. We serve the vulnerable through our blood donor recruitment programme, home and day activity centre for the disabled, transport aid, family life aid, and community first aid. We build capacity and resilience through our training academy, and volunteer and youth development. Beyond our shores, we mobilise and translate contributions from the donor community to relief and recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts, with the aim of helping communities affected by disasters. For more information, please see www.redcross.sg

P.S. All funds raised will go towards the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Response and will not be used for local community support.

P.P.S. If you'd like to also make a donation to support and help our elderly in Singapore during this COVID-19 situation and receive 250% tax deduction, you're invited to do so on our fundraising campaign here: redcross.give.asia/helpelderlycovid19