Cover story

These Hong Kong charities and social enterprises are on a mission to bring the city back to life – here’s how you can be involved with their causes, Charmaine Ng finds out A force of good

Fundraising platforms

What it’s about

Cookie Smiles is a social enterprise and online fundraising platform based around selling cookies, a much-loved comfort food. Born in the span of a few weeks during the coronavirus pandemic, when charities are finding it even harder to sustain donations and fundraising efforts, the enterprise aims to help support three chosen charities each year under the umbrella of the Edible Arts Global Academy Association. At the same time, it is also reaching out to the socially disadvantaged and physically impaired by offering training and job opportunities to keep them gainfully employed.

cookiesmiles.com.hk

Why you should care

A portion of the proceeds raised from the sales of Cookie Smiles’ products is donated to three charities: Splash Foundation, which runs free adult swimming programmes for migrant domestic workers and refugees, as well as for kids from low-income communities; Down Syndrome Association HK, which

Agnes Chin and Jo Soo-Tang started online fundraising platform Cookie Smiles to amidat the coronavirus outbreak support the disadvantaged Cookie Smiles

serves individuals with Down Syndrome, intellectual disabilities or other disabilities with family support and vocational rehabilitation services; and Nesbitt Centre, which provides adapted programmes that aim to empower individuals with learning disabilities to achieve independent living. Concurrently, supporting Cookie Smiles means supporting its two apprentice bakers, Ah Mei and Wei Wei, who are in their mid-fifties and admirably overcame redundancies in previous jobs.

How to help

Simply purchase a handcrafted cookie pack for $100! Cookie Smiles is available at all branches of Feather and Bone.

In the hot seat with Jo SooTang

What inspired you to start Cookie Smiles?

My business partner Agnes and I have been helping the community for many years. I have personally volunteered at a range of local non-profit organisations, but we wanted to make a difference in our own humble way. Being jobless is not an option in Hong Kong as it is one of the world’s most expensive cities to live in. Redundancy is not an option, for that same reason.Through Cookie Smiles, we are able to offer training opportunities and provide jobs for the physically impaired.

Why is Cookie Smiles important to you?

I have always wanted to develop a selfsustaining business that engages the community. This is why Cookies Smiles’ formula as a social enterprise is so exciting for Agnes and me.

What do you hope to achieve with the project?

Our three main goals this year is to work with corporations that want to do good for the local community, support at least three charities and help disadvantaged individuals find employment.

What it’s about

Charitable Choice is a registered charity that aims to harness the cumulative power of small donations to support pressing social needs in Hong Kong. It encourages and enables corporates and individuals to give back to the local community through its interactive and user-friendly digital charity giving platform. By partnering with more than 40 locally registered charities, Charitable Choice helps raise funds for a variety of causes that benefit the community. Acting as a bridge that connects donors with these charities, Charitable Choice has raised more than $3 million to support those in need. charitablechoice.org.hk

The Fred Hollows Foundation

What it’s about

The Fred Hollows Foundation is an international development organisation working to end avoidable blindness. The foundation takes a sustainable development approach to its work in 25 countries through training medical staff, building or equipping medical facilities and providing screening and treatment for eye conditions. It has restored sight to more than 2.5 million people worldwide. Founded by renowned ophthalmologist and humanitarian Professor Fred Hollows in 1992 in Australia, the foundation opened in Hong Kong in 2015 to better reach the needlessly blind in Asia.

hollows.org/hk

Why you should care

Over 36 million people are blind worldwide, but four out of five people who are blind don’t have to be! In remote or impoverished areas, people are already vulnerable to a myriad of challenges and being visually impaired makes their lives even harder. With corrected or restored vision, people can earn

Charitable Choice Eugene Hsia, Cheryl Wilson, Rowena Hoy and Sammy Fang make up the Board of Directors of local charity giving platform Charitable Choice

How to help

You can help Charitable Choice raise funds for its charity partners by purchasing its unique gift cards, sending someone an e-gift card,

Health

a livelihood and children can perform to their full potential at school. Healthy vision increases productivity; and in fact, studies have shown that for every $1 you invest in eye health, $4 in economic return is generated for the community.

How to help

As a not-for-profit organisation, The Fred starting a fundraising campaign or simply donating. Charitable Choice is also always on the lookout for volunteers. Throughout the years, it has relied on volunteer support for various fundraising campaigns and events, as well as skilled volunteers to help it build and sustain its capacity. Everyone has something to offer – it could be your time and skills. COVER STORY

How Charitable Choice started

“When my husband and I had our first child, we were overwhelmed with the generosity of friends and family. I remember thinking that we are so fortunate but there are so many people living in need. So I asked my friends and family members to donate to charity instead of giving us gifts. They all thought it was a great idea but didn’t know where to start. That’s when I was inspired to startCharitable Choice.” – Cheryl Wilson, Founder and CEO of Charitable Choice

Hollows Foundation’s work is only possible with the compassion and generosity of donors. A gift of as little as $150 can help provide cataract surgery and restore sight. You can also support the foundation by following its Facebook (The Fred Hollows Foundation Hong Kong) and Instagram (@fredhollowshk).

What it’s about

A non-profit organisation founded in 2009, Clean Air Network’s mission is to amplify the voices of individuals and groups to together urge the government to take appropriate measures to clean up Hong Kong’s air. This invisible issue is one that has a major impact on human health, from pregnant mothers to the elderly. The impact of the organisation’s work may not be visible instantaneously, but in the long run, if the government prioritises air quality and takes steps to clean the air, it would raise an entire generation of healthy adults. To achieve this, Clean Air Network is promoting understanding between experts and the public, gathering air data, identifying major air pollution hotspots around schools and pushing for better policies towards the government’s agenda to benefit children, like creating zero-emission or ultra-low emission zones around schools. hongkongcan.org

K for Kids

What it’s about

K for Kids was founded in 2015 to help the thousands of kids in Hong Kong who are residing in out-of-home care. These children are either voluntarily or involuntarily removed from their homes or families for a temporary, medium or long period of time and placed in the care of someone else. This could mean living in a foster home, in a group home or a care facility. K for Kids’ mission is to make sure children in this position feel loved and supported, giving them opportunities to experience what others their age get to experience, like picking their own ice cream, going to the movies or having a birthday party.

kforkidsfoundation.org

Clean Air Network hosted the Hong Kong Air Pollution Conference at Renaissance School as part of its outreach programme

Why you should care

Clean air is a basic right for all. With this in mind, Clean Air Network works towards improving the air quality in Hong Kong. The

Why you should care

Currently in Hong Kong, there are approximately 4,000 children in out-of-home care. Statistics show that children exposed to institutional care or foster care experience developmental delays and are six times as likely as other children to have behavioural problems. Children are society’s greatest organisation recently launched a project called ‘Let Our Children Breathe’, which speaks on behalf of children in the city. Air pollution particularly affects younger people, impacting neurodevelopment and cognitive ability and can trigger asthma and childhood cancer. Children have fragile developing lungs, breathe faster than adults and walk at heights closer to the ground, where some pollutants reach peak concentration. The vulnerability of children towards air pollution is unimaginable. In a local study conducted by Kwong Wah Hospital analysing data of over 46,000 schoolchildren, it was estimated that one out of 10 children affected by asthma or allergic respiratory system are triggered by air pollution.

Children and elderly

asset and the most vulnerable ones deserve a support network to ensure that they are given a chance to thrive.

How to help

K for Kids hosts regular events for children in out-of-home care, including quarterly birthday parties, night outings, foster care workshops

How to help

You can start by raising awareness of air pollution and the need for cleaner air on your own terms or invite Clean Air Network for a talk in your workplace and school. The organisation is happy to collaborate with groups for fundraising efforts and seeks donations to support its ongoing work.

and Summer Klub. The organisation is always looking for talented volunteers, such as photographers, graphic designers, art, music or dance teachers, magicians, bakers and more. It is also looking for children therapists, psychologists and educators to help design its programmes to target specific needs.

OneSky

What it’s about

OneSky teaches communities and caregivers to provide responsive care and early education for vulnerable young children in China, Mongolia and Vietnam. Founded in 1997, OneSky grew from training caregivers in two Chinese government welfare institutions to more than 50, before shifting its focus to

OneSky’s Early Learning Centre in Da Nang, Vietnam

HOPE worldwide

HOPE worldwide’s annual Great Santa Run helps raise funds to support children with special educational needs (SEN)

scaling quality care and becoming a training organisation. Having helped to reimagine China’s welfare system, OneSky expanded to the country’s poorest rural villages to reach the children of migrant workers who have left home. Since 1998, it has trained more than 43,000 caregivers and directly impacted more than 200,000 children. onesky.org

What it’s about

HOPE worldwide is an international Christian charity with a mission to change lives by providing sustainable, high-impact and community-based services to those in need. Founded in 1991 by the International Churches of Christ, the charity has helped more than 1.5 million people around the world. What makes HOPE worldwide different is its global presence and highly localised programmes. Its experience with volunteerprofessional collaboration allows it to reach a great number of people in need. Every year, HOPE worldwide mobilises over 3,000 volunteers to visit single elders to provide screening on fall prevention with the aids developed by The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Through this two-tiered model, the charity has served over 43,000 elders. It also addresses the surge of students with special educational needs (SEN) by providing after school tutorial services and other training programmes. hopeww.org.hk

Why you should care

According to the Hong Kong government, the number of elderly people over 65 years old is 980,000, approximately 14 percent of the total population. HOPE worldwide’s goal is to help single elderly people, who are often living alone in substandard circumstances, age healthily and with dignity. At the same time, the number of SEN children has increased by 179 percent in 10 years to 49,100 in 2018, yet there is still an extreme lack of support for SEN families in Hong Kong. HOPE worldwide

Why you should care

OneSky believes that unlimited potential lies within each child. All children should have full access to loving, nurturing care and quality early education. Sadly, for many vulnerable children, that right simply does not exist. OneSky trains caregivers to provide nurturing early childhood care at educational institutions, villages and factories. Raising a generation of children who grow up being cherished will enable them to pass the love forward to the generation that follows. A world full of children who are given the opportunity to flourish may well be our solution for a better future.

How to help

OneSky welcomes all support, be it financial or through volunteering. It offers a Child Sponsorship Programme that supports children in China, Mongolia and Vietnam. In Hong Kong, donations to the new P. C. Lee OneSky Global Centre for Early Childhood Education are welcome. The centre serves local vulnerable children and their families and provides a regional training centre for global best practices in early childhood care. The organisation also welcomes new supporters for its annual Hong Kong Gala on October 15 and Charity Hike on November 7.

aims to lessen the burden of SEN families, especially those with low-income.

How to help

In Hong Kong, you can help fulfil HOPE worldwide’s plan to mobilise volunteers to bring hope and change the lives of those below the poverty line or in need. If you have time or money to spare, join the charity as one of the volunteers, make a monetary donation to support the elderly and SEN children in Hong Kong or join its fundraising event Great Santa Run in December.

Haven of Hope Christian Service

What it’s about

For over six decades, Haven of Hope Christian Service (HOHCS) has served with the mission ‘Respecting Life. Impacting Life’. When Norwayborn Sister Annie and a group of like-minded missionaries first came to Hong Kong, they took care of the neglected and indisposed refugees in the then-barren Tiu Keng Leng. Today, HOHCS has developed into a charitable organisation with its over 54 service units, offering health care, elderly and rehabilitation services. In 2018 and 2019, HOHCS helped nearly 830,000 people with the endeavour to impact their lives with the respect they deserve.

hohcs.org.hk

Why you should care

To help the ageing population in the city, some of whom are left alone in substandard housing without adequate physical and mental support, HOHCS offers day care, home care, community service, residential service and more. The charity also believes that everyone is born equal with their own talents, including those with disabilities. To help them tap into their potential, it provides early education and training, special

PathFinders

What it’s about

PathFinders is the only Hong Kong charity that supports vulnerable children born to migrant mothers, predominantly foreign domestic workers (FDW). Established in 2008, its founders discovered two babies and their FDW mothers living in extreme poverty in Chung King Mansions. Unlawfully fired upon becoming pregnant, the mothers could only afford to feed their babies rice water. PathFinders believes that all children matter and that every child deserves a fair start in life. Besides providing access to emergency shelter, essential supplies, healthcare, education and justice, all mothers and babies are provided care and counselling to ensure they can overcome their challenges and plan for a brighter future. To date, PathFinders has improved the lives of almost 7,000 babies, children and women who have fallen through the cracks in Hong Kong’s public welfare and healthcare services. pathfinders.org.hk

Ethnic minority and social inclusion

PathFinders believes every child in Hong Kong deserves a fair start in life

How to help

You can keep HOHCS running and help the displaced and disadvantaged by offering a monetary donation, either online, through direct debit, crossed cheque or cash donation via 7-Eleven convenience stores. The charity also accepts policy donation, donation by estate wishes, legacy or corporate donations. Alternatively, you can donate your time by becoming a volunteer. HOHCS’ volunteer opportunities are managed through Social Career, an online platform where you can browse its different volunteer opportunities. COVER STORY

Why you should care

Hong Kong currently employs 390,000 FDWs, mostly women of childbearing age. All working women in Hong Kong, including FDWs, are entitled to 10 weeks of maternity leave, but currently no clear guidelines exist on how to successfully manage a FDW pregnancy. As a result, many expectant FDWs are unlawfully fired or pressured to resign, plunging them and their unborn babies into crisis. They immediately become homeless and within two weeks, when their working visa expires, they lose all access to public welfare and healthcare services vital for prenatal screening. Their children are likely to be born into poverty, are undocumented and stateless, and lack access to medical care, immunisations, basic supplies and education.

How to help

Like many non-profit organisations in Hong Kong, the recent Covid-19 crisis has had a profound impact on PathFinders’ fundraising. Uncertainty as to whether it can hold its annual Fundraising Dinner, which typically raises $3 million, means it faces closing its emergency shelter and scaling back key services at its community centre. At the same time, it has seen an 80 percent increase in hotline calls since January and staff are at full capacity managing 173 cases, involving 213 babies and children. You can help by supporting its current SparkRaise.com campaign to keep its shelter open, making a gift via TwoPresents. com on your child’s next birthday or signing up as a volunteer or monthly donor.

What it’s about

Resolve Foundation’s mission is to bring about a more socially just, kinder and inclusive Hong Kong. It seeks to empower emerging community leaders who are passionate about equality and inclusivity to take everyday action, make their voices heard and create positive changes. Every year, the non-profit organisation welcomes a group of 20 individuals, who have leadership potential but could use more support to advance their goals, into its Social Justice Fellowship. The fellowship combines leadership development, human rights education and campaigning skills. Fellows come from all walks of life, but Resolve Foundation prioritises people from traditionally marginalised and underrepresented groups like refugees and asylum seekers, domestic workers and sexual minorities in Hong Kong. resolvehk.org

Why you should care

Hong Kong is a diverse and multicultural city, but it is also one of the most unequal cities in the developed world. These disparities have been accentuated during Covid-19, where certain groups have a harder time getting access to medical supplies, are more susceptible to morbidity or are more vulnerable

Resolve Foundation launched its Social Justice Fellowship Program in 2018 to bring together emerging leaders and equip them with skills needed for social justice leadership

to poverty in the economic downturn. Resolve Foundation wants to make sure these communities can be better looked after and have a say in society, both in the short and long term.

How to help

As a young non-profit organisation, Resolve Foundation needs a community of supporters to help run with its day-to-day operations. Whether you are working full-time or a stay-athome parent, you can become a member of the organisation’s new Resolver programme and make a monthly donation to empower the disadvantaged groups and advance social justice. Donations help Resolve Foundation run its Social Justice Fellowship for emerging leaders for free and allows the organisation to better forecast and plan for the future. In addition to financial assistance, Resolve Foundation is also looking for experienced volunteers to provide their insights on communications, human resources and technology.

HELP for Domestic Workers

What it’s about

HELP for Domestic Workers aims to empower foreign domestic workers through advice, assistance and education and to help them gain access to justice under the law. The organisation was founded in 1989, when James Collins, a barrister from Wales and a worshipping member of St John’s Cathedral, became acquainted with domestic workers in Hong Kong. He and other lawyers soon banded together to provide free legal and professtional advice to domestic workers on Sundays, aiding them with employment, immigration and human rights issues. As demand for the lawyers’ assistance grew, the Cathedral provided a telephone and an office for them to work from. Today, the organisation has five full-time and one part-time staff and a team of volunteers to provide advice and support to domestic workers in need. helpfordomesticworkers.org

Why you should care

Foreign domestic workers are a vitally important part of Hong Kong life. Despite being one of the world’s most affluent places, the territory is short on accessible child care and elder care services. More than 78 percent of women in Hong Kong are able to return to the workforce with the help of domestic workers at home. However, workers can some times experience exploitative working conditions. Employers may deny them resting time and accommodation and employment agencies may overcharge them, leaving them heavily debt burdened. Amid rising concerns, extreme forms of labour exploitation, like forced labour and human trafficking, are also becoming increasingly common.

How to help

HELP for Domestic Workers welcomes legal experts to work with its case managers as well as professionals in other areas such as marketing, PR, communications, social media management, finance, fundraising and event coordination on a part-time or full-time volunteer basis. It relies heavily on individual donations in order to fulfil its commitment to the community and continue delivering vital services for all domestic workers in Hong Kong. Regular monthly donations, no matter how big or small, are key to the charity’s continued success and survival.

What it’s about

Driven by the vision that everyone deserves a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots organisation on a community farm in the US. It has since grown to become a leading global non-profit organisation, working in over 70 countries to help more than 29 million people build or improve a place they call home. For the last 15

Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong

What it’s about

International Care Ministries (ICM) was started in 1992 by a group of Filipino pastors who were moved by the extreme poverty they saw in their home city of Bacolod, Philippines. They began feeding the poor and running open air medical clinics. Over time, ICM grew, receiving strategic direction from an active international board based in Hong Kong. The charity’s holistic four-month communitybased intervention has graduated over 1.2 million people across central and southern Philippines. Its mission is to deliver the right support, right training and right resources to unlock the bondages of poverty. caremin.com

Why you should care

ICM is focused on helping families who live in ultra-poverty, which means that they live on less than US$0.50 per person per day. Poverty isn’t a singular issue. It affects many different aspects of a person’s life, having implications for an individual’s aspirations and self-worth. Through its four-month interactive learning programme ‘Transform’, ICM addresses four key areas essential for hope to grow: values, health, livelihood and education. Taking small steps in each of these areas can add up to lasting change for the participants and their families. Ultra-poor participants have reported 46 percent more hope, 146 percent increase in income, 27 percent reduction in illness and 88 percent of malnourished children cured.

CEO at Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong Jo Hayes joins frontline efforts in building safe shelters for those in need

International Care Ministries

years, Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong has played a significant role in raising awareness of housing as a critical foundation for a better, healthier and more financially stable life.

habitat.org.hk

Why you should care

Hong Kong is ranked as one of the world’s most expensive cities to live in with 20 percent of the population living below the poverty line. As the world is being told to stay home to combat the spread of the coronavirus, the pandemic

has exposed the extreme inequalities in the housing market. This is not just a public health emergency, it is also a housing emergency. Not only is decent and affordable housing a catalyst for pulling families out of a low- or no- income existence and breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty, it is a driver and contributor for 13 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. A sustainable world encompasses inclusive housing and helping those who don’t have a decent home.

How to help

In the short term, you can aid Habitat for Humanity in its efforts during the coronavirus pandemic, where it is providing emergency support to disadvantaged people through the distribution of home hygiene products and protective materials. It has distributed over 20,000 products to more than 4,000 elderly families and three elderly residential care homes to help keep their living environments clean and hygienic. If you are looking for an opportunity to provide sustainable funding support for a worthy cause, you can contribute to Habitat for Humanity’s fundraising efforts. Its monthly donors provide a critical source of funding that enables it to strategically plan its programmes for the months and years to come.

or simply taking a trip to the Philippines – once all the bans are lifted, of course. If you would like to donate, you can choose between giving towards ICM’s general fund or towards any specific program that you are passionate about. In the past, the charity has had volunteers help with different writing projects and with its annual banquet in October. ICM is also in need of high quality photos that depict what life in the Philippines is like and welcomes photographers to join its trips abroad.