More than 400 volunteers gathered to reach out to 1,000 vulnerable households through essentials packs distribution

On 24 September 2022, Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for National Development, Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration and Adviser to Boon Lay Grassroots Organisations and Ms Low Yen Ling, Mayor of South West District joined over 400 volunteers from ExxonMobil and their families as well as volunteers from Boon Lay Grassroots Organisations (GROs) to distribute essentials to vulnerable households in Boon Lay. This activity is part of the annual Adopt @ Boon Lay programme, which saw volunteers from ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd and Boon Lay GROs come together.

2        The contents of this year’s pack is specially curated to help residents cope with rising prices and protect them from dengue. With the rise in dengue cases in the area, thermometers and insect repellents were added to the essential packs to allow residents to monitor their health condition and protect themselves. There are also other daily essential items such as toilet paper, toothbrush, and toothpaste.

3        “We are grateful to ExxonMobil for its effort year on year to enrich and uplift the lives of residents in Boon Lay. For the past 12 years, ExxonMobil has brought joy to our residents with their passion and energy as well as presence in the neighbourhood. We hope to see more of such collective efforts where the community look out for one another and build strong community spirit to contribute towards a more caring Singapore,” said Minister Desmond Lee.

4        “ExxonMobil is a sterling example of a partner that has stayed invested in the lives and future of Boon Lay residents in South West District. Over the 12 years, ExxonMobil staff have built goodwill and friendships with residents under the Adopt @ South West programme. This year, more than 300 ExxonMobil staff are helping to pack and distribute care packs to these residents. This time, ExxonMobil has increased its giving to help residents cope with higher costs of living and transportation. The CDC will multiply the impact by matching the transport fund dollar-for-dollar. Together, we seek to maximise every action and contribution for the collective good of our community,” said Mayor Low.  

5        Ong Shwu Hoon, Asia Pacific Fuels Vice President, ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. said, “We are glad to be able to come together in full force this year with our friends and families to give back to the community. We increased the value of each bag this year as we want to help residents cope with the rising cost of living, and we hope that residents find the items useful. We are grateful for the relationship with South West CDC, with whom we have been partners with for over 19 years, and we look forward to continuing this meaningful initiative for many years to come.”

6        2022 marks the twelfth year that ExxonMobil has supported the Adopt @ South West programme. ExxonMobil increased its contribution this year to help the vulnerable in the district through the South West CDC-ExxonMobil Transport Bursary and Adopt @ South West programme. Apart from increasing the value of the packs, ExxonMobil also increased its yearly contribution to the Transport Bursary to $70,000, matched dollar-for dollar by the CDC, to support about 1,000 beneficiaries by defraying their transport expenses with transport e-vouchers worth up to $150 each this year. 

7        44-year-old Mr Liow Choon-Meng from ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd joined this year’s distribution with his wife and three children aged 10, eight and three. He had previously volunteered in four rounds of the annual household pack distribution. He said, “I am glad to do my small part for the community, and involve my family with the packing, distribution and engaging the residents we’ll meet. Such opportunities are valuable in imparting values such as giving and sharing. Through volunteering, I hope that my children’s values will be strengthened, and it will remind them to be considerate to the needs of others.”

8        “I feel happy and excited to receive the packs this year. As I am wheelchair-bound, it is not convenient for me to buy items, so having this pack is handy when I run low on certain household items like rice. The pack helps me to save some money, and I find the items in the pack useful, especially the insect repellent to prevent dengue,” shared 69-year-old Mr Joe Chia Teck Seng who had received the packs for the past few years.

9       The Adopt @ South West programme reaches out to needy families and vulnerable elderly living in rental to ensure that no one falls through the cracks. This is part of the WeCare Plus @ South West Initiative, which aims to strengthen the social safety net for the needy and vulnerable by getting the more able to help the less able, creating an environment of greater community ownership and collective responsibility, as well as a more caring society. The suite of programmes is developed to meet the five core needs of Adopt @ South West namely social support and wellness, home maintenance and improvement, education and enrichment, to uplift and enrich the lives of vulnerable residents in the South West District.

Each pack consists of the following items: