Project SPHERE, a community project jointly initiated by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) and supported by Singapore Pools, enters its tenth year of fostering community bonds between the young and elderly Singaporeans through social activities. Minister of State for National Development Tan Chuan-Jin presented certificates to participating schools in recognition of their contributions on 17 April 2012 at Chai Chee Road.

Under Project SPHERE (which stands for Students, Singapore Pools and HDB Enriching and Reaching out to the Elderly), students from participating schools reach out to the elderly households through a host of activities, such as regular home visits to chit-chat and befriend them, helping them with housekeeping works, simple household repairs and personal grooming.

Tote Board and Singapore Pools are founding partners of Project SPHERE, having donated $1 million to the cause over the past 10 years. Going forward, besides funding up to 75% of the programme cost, frontline staff members from Singapore Pools also volunteer in spring cleaning activities.

To date, 35 staff members have supervised students in spring-cleaning over 40 households, fostering goodwill within the respective neighbourhoods. "Project SPHERE is a meaningful yet practical way for us to show our care and concern for those in need and bring us closer to the community,” said Connie Lye, Branch Manager from King George's Avenue branch.

(From left) Ms Marilyn Ling, Chief Marketing Officer, Singapore Pools; BG (NS) Tan Chuan-Jin, Minister of State for National Development and Manpower; Uncle Bernard, a beneficiary of Project SPHERE; and Mr Yap Cheng Beng, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Housing & Development Board; presenting bags of foodstuff and daily necessities to the elderly during Project SPHERE’s 10th Anniversary event on 17 April 2012.