Chua Chu Kang has launched three community care initiatives — a Caring Corner resource centre, the Reach for the Sky Bursary and free weekly milk distribution for eligible children and seniors — to strengthen support for students with special educational needs (SEN), caregivers and vulnerable families.
Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) Dr Tan See Leng launched the three initiatives at Chua Chu Kang Community Club on Saturday (31 October). He is also an MP for Chua Chu Kang GRC.
The Caring Corner at Chua Chu Kang Community Club will provide resources for caregivers, as well as a safe activity space, career guidance and skills development opportunities for SEN students, helping them explore career pathways and develop independent living skills.
In his speech, Dr Tan said Caring Corner would provide resources and information for caregivers looking after people with special needs, the elderly and others. It would help them access services and assistance, and build mutual support networks through peer support and community connections. Caring Corner would also offer a safe, comfortable space where caregivers could briefly step away from their responsibilities and take a break.
Another initiative, the Reach for the Sky Bursary, is a community bursary specifically for SEN students, funded by Chua Chu Kang Citizens' Consultative Committee patron Seet Keng Yew.
Eligible preschool children will receive $500, primary school students $800, and secondary and post-secondary students $1,200. Approximately 60 students are expected to benefit each year.
Applicants must be Singapore citizens living in the Chua Chu Kang division, have a monthly household income per person of no more than $2,250, and submit a medical or professional assessment report confirming special educational needs. Based on national data, the division is estimated to have about 300 to 350 students with SEN.
The Milk For You initiative will also provide free milk to children aged six and below and seniors aged 65 and above in Chua Chu Kang division. Residents who meet the age criteria and hold a blue or orange Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) card can collect six packets of milk each week after registering.
The three initiatives aim to strengthen community support and promote social inclusion, ensuring that residents of different ages and needs can access the resources and opportunities they require.
Chua Chu Kang resident Lin Dongxing, 76, lives with her husband and their daughter, who has Down syndrome. Both she and her husband hold blue CHAS cards, allowing them to collect a total of a dozen cartons of milk each week under Milk For You.
“At home, it is mainly our daughter who drinks powdered milk. Now that we can collect free milk every week as well, so her nutritional needs in this respect should be well covered.”
