Some 800 needy and vulnerable families in Nee Soon GRC will soon receive urgent financial relief in the form of merchant vouchers under the Nee Soon Cares Voucher scheme which will help them better manage the rising costs of living.
The Nee Soon Cares Voucher scheme is a ground-up initiative spearheaded by grassroots advisers, grassroots leaders, and volunteers, with the support of the People’s Association.
Participating merchants in Nee Soon GRC range from food and beverage outlets to provision and grocery stores, and essential services such as pharmacies, hair salons, and barbers as well as wet markets. The scheme allows participating merchants to play an active role in helping the community as part of their CSR initiative and increase foot traffic to their businesses.
Each beneficiary will receive $300 vouchers which will be disbursed in two tranches: $150 worth of vouchers to be disbursed in August 2022 and the second tranche of $150 worth of vouchers in December 2022. The Nee Soon Cares Voucher scheme will provide additional help to these hard-hit families, on top of existing national assistance programmes, particularly to eligible low-income families who fall through the cracks or require urgent assistance.
Eligible households for this voucher scheme need to meet the following criteria at the point of application: a) Per capita income not exceeding $900; b) Household comprises at least one Singaporean family member; and c) Household is facing extenuating circumstances, such as the sudden death of the household’s sole breadwinner, employment termination or is facing critical illness.
Mr K. Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law and Adviser to the Nee Soon GRC Grassroots Organisations (GROs) shared, “Many of these beneficiaries are currently supported by ComCare and existing social assistance schemes. Still, we recognise that unexpected crises, such as the sudden death or illness of the household’s sole breadwinner or retrenchment, could upend the family’s financial situation overnight.’’
“The Nee Soon Cares Voucher scheme will provide immediate financial assistance to these vulnerable families and reduce financial distress. In the meantime, the social service agencies are reviewing these cases and exploring ways to provide additional social support and financial help to vulnerable families. This scheme is a measure of the strength of our community here at Nee Soon. What is important is that the initiative allows different segments of the Nee Soon community to come together and come up with solutions to help those who are less fortunate. I am grateful to our grassroots leaders and volunteers for championing this, and to the merchants for their support.”
Mr Steven Koh of 66 Optics & Contact Lens Centre Pte Ltd added, “We have a tightly knitted community in Nee Soon. Hence, we are always ready and more than happy to help the vulnerable residents in our midst. The Nee Soon Cares Voucher scheme will meet some of their immediate financial needs, and hopefully give them the headspace they need to think of ways to overcome their current situation”.
Advisers to the Nee Soon GRC GROs, Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang, Ms Carrie Tan, and Mr Derrick Goh Soon Hee, will join Minister to launch the Nee Soon Cares Voucher scheme during the Chong Pang National Day Carnival held on Sat 13 August 2022 at the hardcourt beside Blk 165 Yishun Ring Road.
Nee Soon GRC residents in need of such assistance can visit Chong Pang CC, Nee Soon Link CC and Nee Soon South CC between 2pm to 6pm or Nee Soon Central CC and Nee Soon East CC from 10am to 6pm, to find out more and apply for the vouchers.
Read more here: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/community/around-800-families-in-nee-soon-grc-to-get-vouchers-to-cope-with-rising-costs