Autism newsletter 2020 December LR - Flipbook - Page 1
AUTISM LINKS
Newsletter of the Autism Association (Singapore)
DECEMBER 2020
MCI (P) 003/07/2020
THE PERFECT GIFT REDEFINED
Vulnerable communities have had to shoulder new challenges and
added fiscal worries in the recent months given the pandemic.
Growing anxieties over Singapore’s economic outlook have led
to charities here receiving less in donations and sponsorships
to aid their beneficiaries and to fund their work. Hence, when
Ms Wu Jieren came to know about the difficult position that the
charities were in, she knew she wanted to give back to the specialneeds community affected by COVID-19. She roped in her two
daughters to help – they designed and printed Christmas greeting
cards to sell to their friends and relatives to raise funds for the
Autism Association (Singapore) (AA(S)). In doing so, they helped
to spread awareness about autism amongst their social circle.
(Details on page 12)
AA(S) Family and Life Services department packing
in-kind resources for families in need.
Ms Wu’s kind donation was one among others, and monetary
funding was not the only form of support the Association has
received. According to Ms Reine Lee, who heads the Family and
Life Services department of the Association, donations of in-kind
resources, beyond merely cash, has seen an increase during the
last six months. For one, Ms Lena Lee responded to an appeal and
donated a few hundred dollars’ worth of grocery care packs to
the financially challenged families of the Association. To this, she
expressed, “I’ve always had a strong belief that we should lend
our warm helping hands to people who need a little push in life.
Thus, whenever I can, I will contribute in the form of monetary
or simply food ration to families who require them. To be able
to bring a smile or some peace of mind to these families is my
ultimate objective.”
Indeed, giving can instantly brighten someone else’s day, and it
can take on many different forms. Having to redefine and paint
a slightly different picture about giving and volunteering meant
having to think out of the box and trial novel ideas. And like most
charities, many donors, like Ms Wu, are adapting to this unique
challenge.
IN FOCUS
Another individual who has also stepped up to this challenge is Ms
Audrey Yeo. An undergraduate and a volunteer with AA(S) since
June this year, she assists with the Association’s graphic design
assignments, including creating banners for our webpage and
editing photos for our newsletters and annual reports. “I’ve always
enjoyed design. When there was a call for volunteers, I knew that
I wanted to contribute, especially since it was difficult to do so
physically given the current situation,” chirped Audrey.
As the season of giving steadily approaches, the question of what,
or how, to give begins to cross the minds of many. Yet there is
hardly “The Perfect Gift” – as cliché as it seems, the best gift
truly is the one that comes from the heart. The Deputy Executive
Director at AA(S), Mr Krish Phua, echoes this sentiment, “Giving
is a very personal thing. No matter how small or large the gift is,
it is the sincerity and thought that truly counts. Although cash is
still very important at this point, we welcome the sponsorship of
goods-in-kind”.
With COVID-19 curtailing
most forms of physical
fundraising activity this
year, the Association is
turning to the use of
GIRO donation forms as
an additional means to
reach out to the kind souls
this year. The donation
form is included in this
newsletter for those who
would like to help support
the Association’s various
programmes and services,
especially during these
challenging times.
In this vein, we tap into two of the five core values of the Association
– Compassion and Contribution – where these donations gifted
out of one’s heart go into funding our beneficiaries.
