Singapore – Mapletree is pleased to announce that it has partnered the South West Community Development Council (CDC) to provide needy students in the South West region with basic essentials for the new academic year.

Under the Mapletree – South West CDC’s ‘Back to School Programme’, 100 students from underprivileged households in the region will each be provided with a new school bag, new school shoes worth $50 and transport bursaries worth $120 for primary school students and $160 for secondary students.

Mr Arthur Fong, Vice-Chairman of South West CDC, Member of Parliament for West Coast GRC and Adviser for Clementi GRC Grassroots Organisations said, “Today’s partnership between the South West CDC and Mapletree is a sterling example of how the entire community plays a role in helping the less fortunate among us… We want to create a caring culture in Clementi – caring in many ways – for our neighbours, friends, the environment, or perhaps simply being considerate. It is really through all of us caring together, with “many helping hands”, that we pool our resources, own our community and strengthen our social safety net.”

The students were presented their gifts by Mr Arthur Fong, Member of Parliament of the West Coast GRC, at a ceremony held at the Clementi Community Centre today. They comprised 35 students from Clementi Primary School, 15 from Boon Lay Gardens Primary School and 25 students each from Boon Lay Secondary and Clementi Woods Secondary schools.

Ms Nancy Ng-Lee, Mapletree’s Senior Vice President for Human Resources and Corporate Services said, “Mapletree is pleased to shape lives by giving and sharing what we have with the community. We are mindful that with rising costs of living today, particularly, in transport and food, some families are finding it increasingly difficult to cope. As a corporation, we want to do what we can to reach out to the needy and make their lives a little better. Today’s ‘Back to School’ Programme exemplifies our belief and conviction that children are the foundation of our future society, and that everyone matters.”

“Our contribution of $20,000, aims to equip the 100 children that we are sponsoring, with the basic essentials for school. Our hope is that, with the essentials like school shoes, bag and transport taken care of; they will be able to focus on doing well in school. And as we all know, the best gift to our children is to give them a good education,” she added.

The ‘Back to School’ Programme is part of Mapletree’s on-going Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme. In a pilot scheme started in 2006, volunteers from Mapletree delivered monthly food packages to 50 needy households in the South West region. Last year, the Mapletree Charity Food Distribution Programme has been expanded in scope to cover 150 households. It also involves a unique three-party collaboration with Mapletree, South West CDC and secondary school volunteers, working together to reach out to needy residents by delivering food packages to their homes.

Mapletree also hosts children from disadvantaged backgrounds or those with special needs to regular outings at VivoCity, as well as an annual Chinese New Year lunch for the underprivileged. This year’s Chinese New Year Lunch will be held on 19 February 2008 for 80 elderly persons at Dragon Gate Restaurant at HarbourFront Centre. The beneficiaries will also receive red packets and festive food packages to help them celebrate the festive season.