About SowCare
SowCare Ltd is the community service arm of The Bible Society of Singapore that aims to serve, empower and sow holistic care for the underprivileged communities in Singapore. We seek to reach out to the homeless and the poor and needy communities locally. Among others, we have three movements under SowCare: Love Your (Unseen) Neighbours, Ending Homelessness Together and Alliance of Domestic Employees Outreach. If you would like to support our movements, donate or volunteer with us! Alternatively, if you would like to make a donation-in-kind, please email us at support@sowcare.sg and we will follow up with you.
About Love Your (Unseen) Neighbours Movement
Love Your (Unseen) Neighbours was launched by SowCare in February 2022 to bring warmth to the underprivileged and socially isolated elderly community in Singapore. We provide them with CarePacks filled with essential household items such as rice, canned food and biscuits to defray the costs of their daily living expenses. Each needy family may also receive an Ang Pao to tide them through this difficult period. Besides distributing CarePacks, SowCare also cultivates long-term relationships through visiting and befriending these vulnerable elderlies in the community.
Currently, SowCare is serving around 50 needy families in Singapore such as those living in Toa Payoh rental flats. Our goal is to collaborate with other Social Service Offices including Bedok/Geylang Serai and reach out to another 70 families.
About Ending Homelessness Together Movement
Research has found that there are an estimated 1,000 individuals without a home. SowCare@Armenian was started to advocate a temporal Safe Sound Sleeping Place (S3P) at the Bible House.
All rough sleepers are provided a bed, pillow, blanket, and facilities like shower and washing machine. They will also be given a Starter Kit consisting of toiletries like toothbrush/toothpaste, etc. The shelter offers the homeless refuge for the night where they come after 10pm and have to leave by 7am the next day. Furthermore, SowCare organises events filled with fun-loving games and sumptuous meals to give our marginalised rough sleepers hope and joy. SowCare is also looking at giving them a small allowance to sustain their needs.
Currently, we can house up to 10 homeless people in our facility. Our goal is to provide shelter for up to 30 homeless people in the future and provide better facilities for them. Necessary resources are urgently needed in order to provide holistic care for them. Please join us as we collectively build a home for our homeless by donating to our movement. We are also open to receiving donations-in-kind. Your generous giving will greatly impact the lives of the vulnerable in their trying period.
About Alliance of Domestic Employees Outreach Movement
Alliance of Domestic Employees Outreach (ADEO) was launched to provide care and support for domestic workers in Singapore. ADEO provides services including mental wellness programmes, case management, skills development, and recreational activities.
As ADEO continues to provide care for domestic workers, please join us and support our movement by donating today. Your generous donation will go a long way in helping us to make the lives of domestic workers better.
MAKE AN IMPACT
Join us at Sowcare as we serve, empower and sow holistic care for the homeless, poor and needy communities in Singapore!
HELP our Elderly Neighbours Age with Dignity
Show love and compassion to our isolated elderly through providing Care Packs and befriending them.
Your kind donation helps our elderly tide over daily needs.
HELP Build a Shelter for our Homeless People
Support our homeless community as we provide them with safe shelter and basic necessities.
Your kind donation gives them a place of refuge and let them feel loved.
SUPPORT Domestic Workers in Singapore
Show care to our domestic workers by supporting our programmes including mental wellness programmes, skills development, and recreational activities.
Your donation helps us to create more and better programmes for them. You can make a difference.
Make a General Donation
This gives us the greatest flexibility to send your donation to where it is needed most, such as to the needy elderly, homeless community and domestic workers.
$10 can make a difference to someone in need.
Past Events
Love Your (Unseen) Neighbours
Ending Homelessness Together
Christmas 2022 Distribution To The Vulnerable In Community (VIC) in Toa Payoh, Lengkok Bahru & Bendeemer Road
Nov & Dec 2022
On 9 November, SowCare, the social service arm of The Bible Society of Singapore distributed meals and ang paos to the underprivileged communities staying in rental flats in Blks 5, 13, 15, 17, 29, 31, 68 & 170 Toa Payoh in collaboration with our community partner. Volunteers personally visited the homes of those residents who were not able to come down to the Distribution Centre physically so as not to deprive them of these special blessings. The volunteers even went personally to Dover Park Hospice to hand the ang pao to one beneficiary who was warded there. 50 needy elderly clients were blessed with the generous donations from the Far East Organisation. They were so grateful and thankful.
During these challenging times, we continue to work hard through such initiatives for the underprivileged by lifting up broken people in our community, both near and far, so that many more can receive better care and standard of living.
Love Your (Unseen) Neighbours: National Day Distribution Project
7 August 2022
To bring love and care to the vulnerable & underprivileged elderly Cardboard collectors/tissue sellers, SowCare continued its outreach project to bless the poor & needy elderly living in rental flats with CarePacks and Ang Paos on 7 Aug (Sunday). This outreach project, Love Your (Unseen) Neighbours was organised with contributions from our sponsors, Far East Organisation, and more than 20 volunteers from Calvary Assembly of God Church & Hope Initiative Alliance.
Through this initiative, we managed to reach out to more than 20 families to provide them with Ang Pao and CarePack filled with daily household products like fresh milk powder, organic rolled oaks, Milo, toothbrush/toothpaste, biscuits, instant noodles and rice crackers. This project has brought immense joy to these unseen neighbours in our community as our volunteers interacted and befriended these socially isolated elderly cardboard collectors/tissue paper sellers.
One of our Befriender volunteers, Ms Irene Ng, shared joyfully after the event that it is “an honour to serve. Thanks for having me and hope to be able to serve again.”
John, another Befriender volunteer added, “when I participated in this project, I found out that there are many elderly cardboard collectors/tissue paper sellers out there who are extremely lonely because they live alone. They experienced loneliness and isolation because some have lost their mobility, and are hard of hearing or because their social circles have become smaller over the years. When we visited and chatted with them, their faces lit up.”
As part of our on-going initiative to reach out to these elderly cardboard collectors/tissue paper sellers, our volunteers will continue to make more home visitations to befriend and chat with these socially isolated seniors and also to assess their financial and medical conditions.
Sowing Care to the Homeless on Christmas Celebrations
15 December 2022
In collaboration with Life Centre Community Services, we organised a special Christmas Celebration Event for the Homeless/Rough Sleepers residing at both S3P@Bible House and S3P@Yishun Shelter on 15 Dec 2022. Through this Christmas event, we hope to provide holistic care and bring cheer to the residents and lift their spirits, where we prepared a host of fun-filled programmes for the residents.
The programme started off with a welcome speech by Helen, Manager at S3P@Life Centre, followed by an opening prayer by John. This was followed by 2 hilarious games – ‘Simon Says’ and ‘Charades’. During the ‘Simon Says’ game, laughter could be heard when the residents caught themselves performing the funny actions when ‘Simon Says’ was uttered. The residents were fully energised and truly enjoyed the game! During the ‘Charades’ game, one resident was invited to perform an action related to the Christmas theme while the others would guess the word. The residents performing were lively while the others were excited to guess the correct answer!
After the games, the volunteers at Life Centre led the singing of Christmas carols with the residents. They sang their hearts out and fist-bumped one another in camaraderie while singing as the night’s atmosphere raised to a new high. Then, Brother Samuel Kumar shared a short message from the Bible, followed by testimonies shared by two volunteers. Then came the solemn moment for everyone when the residents reflected about their journey as a rough sleeper at both Bible House and Life Centre.
After that, Aaron had the honour of distributing out ang paos to the residents, who were very grateful for the love gift. Rev Sam Gift gave a closing remark of encouragement and blessing to the residents. The Christmas Celebrations culminated with the residents being treated to a sumptuous dinner spread of fried rice with chicken wings, fruit, drinks, and cake. They feasted to their hearts content. Ending the Christmas celebration at 9.45pm, transport was provided for the residents to travel back to Bible House. They had bright smiles on their faces and their hearts full with contentment.
Sowing Care to The Homeless On National Day Celebrations: ‘Stronger Together, Majulah!’
7 August 2022
SowCare organised a special National Day Celebration Event with the theme, ‘Stronger Together, Majulah!’ for the Homeless/Rough Sleepers residing at both S3P@Bible House and S3P@Yishun Shelter on 7 Aug 2022. To provide holistic care and bring cheer to the residents and lift their spirits, the SowCare Team prepared a host of fun-filled programmes for the residents.
The programme kicked off with the welcome and introduction by Aaron and a short sharing and reflection on National Day by John. Following after that, 2 team games were played – ‘Cup Stacking’ and ‘Get To Know You’. During the ‘Cup Stacking’ team game, the residents were grouped into three’s or four people per team with a mix of both the Bible House and the Yishun Shelter residents. Each team demonstrated great team work and coordination as well as dexterity as they stacked up the plastic cups in the shape of a pyramid by some arm & body gestures, strings and rubber bands. The three teams were fully energised and motivated and even progressed to complete the next level with more difficulties and challenges! What a sight to witness such great team work and camaraderie between both shelters!
A video screening on the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s Speech reminded everyone how he fought courageously for our nation’s independence in 1965 and how we ought to be resilient and loyal to our homeland, Singapore. Then came the solemn moment where everyone of us sang the National Anthem to our hearts out and recited the Singapore Pledge with full commitment and allegiance to our nation, Singapore.
After the reciting of the Singapore Pledge, the residents were treated to a sumptuous dinner spread of nasi lemak with various sides, drinks, desserts and curry puffs. They feasted to their hearts content.
Some of the feedbacks received from the residents included:
“Been to National Day parade at Padang when young. I liked the fireworks. Event today is very good, very exciting and the dinner is good. Fantastic!” (Mr L)
“Never attended the National Day parade. Today’s food is nice!” (Mr W)
“I was involved in the National Day parade as part of the Naval contingent. Fireworks display was my favourite. Today’s video screening was a trip back down memory lane.” (Mr K)
“The food today is good!” (Mr C)
“Good effort for a get-together.” (Mr S)
The National Day Celebrations/Observance culminated with a Blessed Draw and the giving of the ang paos to every resident. Ending on a good note, a group photo was taken with bright smiles on the residents’ faces.
Celebrating 57th National Day with the Homeless/Rough Sleepers
Date: 7 Aug, Sun | Time: 4.30pm – 6.30pm
| Time | Activity | Remarks |
| 4.15pm | Welcome S3P clients | |
| 4.30pm | Introduction and welcome by Aaron/Reflection on National Day by John | |
| 4.35pm | Run through of the evening’s programme by Valerie | |
| 4.45pm | Games – 1. Cup Stacking; 2. Get To Know You | |
| 5.30pm | Video: Late Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s Speech | |
| 5.32pm | Singing of National Anthem | All present |
| 5.34pm | Reciting of the Singapore Pledge | All present |
| 5.35pm | Dinner / Group Photo | |
| 6.10pm | Personal Reflection of National Day & Event by Residents | 1. Have you been to the National Day Parade? Describe your favourite performance. 2.Do you enjoy today’s National Day event? Explain why. (e.g. staff is caring, game is fun and interesting, food is good, etc) |
| 6.15pm | Blessed Draw | For all S3P Residents – Top 3 Prizes |
| 6.20pm | Giving out of Angpaos + Group photo | For all S3P Residents |
| 6.30pm | End of Celebration |
Sowing Care To The Homeless On Hari Raya Puasa
3 May 2022
SowCare organised a sumptuous buffet dinner for the 8 Homeless/Rough Sleepers residing at S3P@Armenian on Hari Raya Puasa, 3 May 2022. In response to the Homeless/Rough Sleepers’ feedback that previous events were always held at Level 2 Car Park, Bible House the SowCare Team surprised the residents by hosting a sumptuous dinner buffet at XW Western Grill at Raffles City Shopping Centre with a choice of main course and all-you-can-eat salad bar of more than 20 hot and cold dishes.
The halal-certified restaurant offers a line-up of smoky favourites of chicken chop with black pepper sauce and golden fish fry.
The residents ate to their hearts’ content with orders after orders of side dishes like truffle angel hair, butter rice pilaf, egg white frittata, Thai glass noodle salad, garlic bread, mac and cheese, onion rings, cajun cauliflower poppers, fussilli fruit salad, etc.
Aside from our local outreach to provide S3P shelter and basic daily needs, SowCare also extends love to these marginalised and disadvantaged people through this dinner outing at a restaurant to lift up their spirits and be counted as equals within the community.
To spur one another on towards love and good deeds and appreciation for one another in S3P@Armenian, we urged them to write notes of encouragement to one another and thanksgiving to SowCare for providing them with safe and secure shelter, friendship and good meals, drinks and goodie bags to alleviate their sufferings.
Sharing his testimony, Mr R wrote: “Much thanks for the kind generosity and care during my stay at B.H. During my difficult times, this show of kindness is much appreciated. No such word is able to show my appreciation. Love & bless you all.”
Another resident, Mr H wrote: “Thank you SowCare for the shelter provided during the Covid-19 period, hope we can stay together even after the Covid-19 time.”
During these challenging times, SowCare continues to work hard through such initiatives for the disadvantaged by lifting up broken people in our community, both near and far, so that many more can receive the help they require.