Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg

Whether or not you celebrate Christmas, the end of the year is a great time to count our blessings and share the joy.

If you’re wondering how you can give back to the community this season, we have compiled 12 different ways you can do good (valid even after this period).

1. Make a child’s dreams come true

Grant a life-changing wish for a child with a critical illness at Make-A-Wish Singapore.

The organisation believes that granting a wish will help provide eligible children with encouragement and serve as a source of hope and joy for them and their families.

Through this initiative, Make-A-Wish hopes to help these children better cope with their illnesses, and work towards recovery.

You can also donate to the cause here.

2. Put your skills to good use

Have a specialised skill like crafting, design or videography?

You can put those skills to good use at organisations that could use your expertise —simply search for opportunities via Giving.sg.

This is also a great opportunity to hone your skills and get better at your craft.

3. Help feed the needy at a soup kitchen

The Willing Hearts soup kitchen opens 365 days a year, even during weekends and public holidays.

The soup kitchen distributes about 11,000 daily meals to over 70 locations islandwide, and help is always needed.

Whether it’s cooking, packing or delivery, there is lots to do, and they even encourage volunteering as a family.

Learn more about how to get involved here, or donate here.

4. Support needy families and schoolchildren with food packs

The Community Food Pack and School Goodie Bag initiatives run by Food from the Heart will go a long way in helping needy families cope with the rising costs of living.

Donate here to help provide a family with essentials to make their meals, or provide growing schoolchildren with the nutrition they need.

5. Help offer the homeless a sense of community

The Homeless Hearts of Singapore befriends and provides temporary aid to the homeless population in Singapore.

You can help by volunteering as a befriender or coordinator, or donating to support emergency accommodation for vulnerable people.

They also provide some useful tips on how you can offer help if you encounter a homeless person, or someone you think might be homeless.

6. Show your appreciation to our migrant workers

Every Christmas, ItsRainingRaincoats organises a Christmas Giving Drive where participants can donate wrapped Christmas presents to our migrant workers.

You can find out more about their 2022 Christmas Drive here.

Beyond festive initiatives, they also help migrant workers with day to day issues such as salary and repatriation matters, as well as dental and vision care.

You can contribute by volunteering or donating to the cause.

7. Try Meatless Mondays

We know that going plant-based is better for the environment, but if the prospect of going completely meat-free is too daunting, you can start off with just one day a week.

Meatless Mondays is a global movement that encourages people to skip meat once a week for their health and the planet, and provides free resources for those looking to do so.

Locally, the Meatless Mondays in Singapore Instagram page provides useful information on where to find plant-based meals and products in Singapore.

8. Donate household items to children and families in need

If you have used household products which are still in good condition, consider passing them on to Blessings in a Bag.

Alternatively, you can check out their wish list here, or make a monetary donation.

If you do decide to pass on your used items, a good guideline is to only donate something that you would gift a friend or loved one.

It should go without saying, but do not donate broken or dirty items.

9. Share the love of reading by donating your old books

Dignity Mama by Project Dignity takes in secondhand books in good condition and stocks them at four kiosks in major hospitals, which are run by young adults with disabilities.

The kiosks help provide these young adults with a source of income and help them gain basic entrepreneurial skills, paving the way for them to lead independent lives.

You may drop off your books at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital or National University Hospital (Medical Centre). More information is available here.

10. Put a smile on the faces of our elderly

Lions Befrienders befriends and cares for socially-isolated seniors, and helps integrate them into the community.

Some of the services they provide include Active Ageing Centres, which are drop-in spaces which provide resources and care for elderly in the area, as well as social support for vulnerable seniors.

You can get involved by signing up as a volunteer, or donate here.

11. Don’t forget our furry friends

If you have room and love to spare for another family member in your home, consider adopting a pet from these shelters, many of which take in stray or abandoned animals.

• Action for Singapore Dogs
• Animal Lovers League
• Causes for Animals
• House Rabbit Society Singapore
• Love Kuching Project
• Mdm Wong's Shelter and Friends
• Metta Cats & Dogs Sanctuary
• Oasis Second Chance Animal Shelter
• Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
• SOSD Singapore

PSA: Being a pet owner is a long term commitment. Adopt only if you’re able to responsibly care for the animal to the end of its lifespan.

Alternatively, you can make a donation to help the shelters with the care and upkeep of their residents.

12. Support local small businesses

If you’re looking to buy gifts for your friends and loved ones, check out the #supportlocalsg and #madeinsingapore hashtags on Instagram for local crafts, food and other gift options.

Besides personalised service and a unique product, you're also helping the entrepreneurs to sustain their livelihoods.

Related article

Top image via Dignity Mama/Facebook and SPCA Singapore/Facebook