During this COVID-19 pandemic, the most vulnerable people in our society need our help more than ever. Of course, cash donations are the most obvious and convenient way you can help, especially with the recent circuit breaker measures that prevent from going out.
However, if you would like to lend a helping hand in a more literal way by volunteering your time and service, here are some charity organisations that still remain operational during this period and could really use your help.
(Note that every organisation may have their own measures in place during this pandemic, so contact them directly to find out more.)
Volunteer work to help the community
National CARE Hotline
<<Our 300>>National CARE Hotline : 6202-6868Over 300 psychologists, counsellors, social workers, psychiatrists, and…
Posted by Desmond Lee on Friday, 10 April 2020
The National CARE Hotline is a government initiative to offer support to those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 24-hour helpline is manned by volunteers who have been trained in psychological first aid such as psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors and social workers.
So far, 300 volunteers have stepped up to offer their service to help ensure people’s mental and emotional well-being during this difficult time, especially with the expected rise of domestic abuse cases.
If you have the relevant background in mental health counselling and would like to volunteer, you can sign up here.
Food From The Heart

Food From The Heart is a non-profit organisation that has been distributing food to the needy and less fortunate in our community since 2003. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they have been classified as essential services as their workers and volunteers continue to bring food to over 40,000 people in need in Singapore.
Depending on the skills and resources, volunteers are needed in sorting, packing and delivering the food. If you would like to volunteer, you can sign up here.
Willing Hearts

Willing Hearts is an independent charity organisation run wholly by volunteers and a handful of staffs. Their soup kitchen prepares, cooks and distributes about 6,500 daily meals to over 40 locations island wide, all year round.
Their beneficiaries include the elderly, the disabled, low income families, children from single parent families or otherwise poverty stricken families, and migrant workers in Singapore, all of whom are especially vulnerable during this time.
Besides monetary donations, Williing Hearts Soup Kitchen can always use more help in preparing, cooking and packing the meals as well as cleaning up, Find out more information and get involved here.
Free Food For All

Free Food For All is another charity community that runs various free food programmes to feed the less fortunate in Singapore. Every day, with the help of their partners, staff and volunteers, they deliver on average 500 meals to needy communities all over the island.
If you would like to help, fill in this form to sign up to become a volunteer.
Volunteer work for healthcare
Singapore Red Cross Society

Blood donation is needed more than ever for patients in need and all four of Singapore Red Cross Society’s blood banks continue to operate during the circuit breaker period.
If you would like to make a blood donation, do observe safe distancing measures by booking an appointment at 6220 0183 to avoid long queues.
Find out more about blood donation here.
Volunteer work to help the elderly
TOUCH Community Services
As the elderly are encouraged to stay home during this period, those who live alone need more help than ever in getting their daily needs such as meals. If you would like to help out, you can volunteer with Meals-on-Wheels, a meal delivery programme organised by TOUCH Community Services to bring daily meals to the elderly who live by themselves.
Distribution locations include areas around Bukit Batok, Toa Payoh, Whampoa, Bendemeer, Geylang Bahru, Potong Pasir, Bishan, Ang Mo Kio and Jurong.
They are especially looking for volunteers for weekdays, so if you are available from 9.30am to 12.30pm or 3.30pm to 6.30pm, do consider lending them a helping hand by signing up here.
Filos Community Services
The More Than Friend Befriending Programme is an initiative by Filos Community Service to provide support seniors with chronic diseases through social interactions and activities to promote active ageing.
During this period, as home visits are not feasible, volunteers are needed to check in on these seniors via phone calls to prevent social isolation and ensure their emotional and mental health needs are adequately met.
You can sign up to become a volunteer here.
New Hope Community Services
If you enjoy spending time with the elderly and can converse in English and Mandarin, you can consider signing up to become a medical escort with SG Cares Volunteer Centre @ Kreta Ayer here.
Responsibilities include accompanying the elderly to and fro the hospitals for their check-ups, translating difficult medical terms, making follow-up appointments and making payment.
Volunteer work to help migrant workers
CYC Tailor
The migrant worker community is among the hardest hit with several clusters in their dormitories. To help prevent further spread of the virus among them, CYC Tailor is organising an initiative called the #CYC300kMaskChallenge to deliver 300,000 masks to migrant workers across Singapore.
If you can sew and are confident that you can complete 300 masks in ten days, you can join the project by signing up here. CYC will contact you for further details,
Volunteer work to help children and youth
Thye Hua Kwan Family Service Centre
Thye Hua Kwan Family Service Centre is currently running a tuition programme for their beneficiaries and need volunteer facilitators to help with tasks such as temperature taking, recording of information and accompanying students to wash their hands.
The classes will be conducted in the Boon Lay area. If you are interested in volunteering, sign up here.
Where to give cash donations without contact
If you prefer to stay home because you have vulnerable members in your family but are looking to make cash donations, here are a recent initiatives that you can support:
- Pledge your SGD600 Solidarity Payment from the Government to help those who are impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. You can make a donation here.
- Media personality Diana Ser had recently started a fund-raising initiative for The Invictus Fund through ComChest that supports about 80 social service agencies in Singapore. The beneficiaries include vulnerable seniors, families in need, persons with disabilities, children with special needs, youth-at-risk, and persons with mental health conditions. You can make a donation here.
- There are several causes you can support on platforms like Giving.sg and Give.asia