NTUC donated $9.7 million to charity this year

Filed photo dated Aug 16, 2012 of Madam Swee Li Ping shopping at nex’s FairPrice Xtra with her husband Ho Kin Onn and two of their children – Rou En (front), nine, and Rou Xuan, 11 – as FairPrice employee Chan Jia Xin attends to them. NTUC FairPrice is donating $5 to charity for each loaf of its housebrand bread sold. NTUC gave out $9.7 million this year as part of its social outreach programmes. The amount was disbursed partly through the NTUC U Care Fund, which was launched in 2009 to help low-income union members and families. -- ST PHOTO: NURIA LING

By Maria Almenoar

THE National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) gave out $9.7 million this year as part of its social outreach programmes.
The amount was disbursed partly through the NTUC U Care Fund, which was launched in 2009 to help low-income union members and families.
Among the beneficiaries were 8,400 students who applied for bursaries and scholarships from NTUC, about 40,000 low-income families who received vouchers to help with their daily expenses and 5,000 seniors who got help through NTUC's Eldercare scheme.
In addition, the labour movement also funded 24 community projects including excursions and painting projects for voluntary welfare organsations