We held the media conference for The Boys' Brigade Sharity Gift Box 2008 (BBSGB) back on 11th Nov where we shared with the media the numbers and statistics for this year and our optimistic view that we would be able to continue bringing Christmas cheer to the less privileged despite challenges in fund-raising efforts for our operational costs.
BBSGB remains as one of Singapore’s longest running and largest charity project during the year-end season. The project returns for her 21st year aiming to raise general household items and specific gifts for a total of 28,189 beneficiaries. Of these beneficiaries, 3,000 are on the Public Assistance (PA) Scheme with the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports; and the remaining beneficiaries come from a total of 171 Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs).
One of the BBSGB 2008 Ambassadors, Mr. Mok Ying Ren, Team Singapore Triathlon Athlete, SEA Games 2007 Gold Medallist, took the lead in giving and helped to fulfil the Christmas wishes of two children with special needs at AWWA School today. One of them, Fathu Robian Shah is aged 10 and had wish for a Lego construction set for Christmas.
This is the happy Fathu:
Mabel had wished for a gym tunnel. She uses such a gym tunnel in school as a form of exercise for herself and had wished that she would have one at home as well so that she can continue her exercises at home with her siblings. Her joy at receiving the gift genuinely touched everyone this morning. When called on stage to receive the gift, Mabel surprised everyone by dashing immediately to the tunnel and crawling in, leaving our Chairman stranded alone with the box. But nobody could prevent our own faces from smiling as we realise how significant this gift must be mean to Mabel and her family.
The fundamental principle of BBSGB is to spread the spirit of caring and sharing to the needy by enforcing the role of social responsibility from the nation. It is a project that encourages everyone to play a role in the community beyond cash donations, such as the fulfillment of Specific Wishes, donation of food items and the actual actions of packing and delivery of the gifts to the less fortunate. The project relies on the public to make direct donations of general household items and the specific gifts requested by beneficiaries. Donations from the public is used directly and entirely to benefit the beneficiaries of the project and not used for operating expenses. In 2007, it is estimated that the items donated by the public was worth close to S$3 million.
BBSGB 2008 faced its first challenge of not raising enough money for the operating expenses required to run the project. The project depends on corporate sponsors to raise the operating cost of running the project annually – at about $250,000. This amount is used to fund the warehousing, operations, transport and administrative support required to run the project. The project has currently only raised $120,000 thus far for operating expenses.
Well, watch this space, as we'll give everyone more information as to how to take part in BBSGB 2008. We are opening the entire project this Friday at Orchard Road, outside of Ngee Ann City! Join us there at 2.30pm!
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