The Community Chest of Hong Kong

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The Community Chest of Hong Kong
The Community Chest of Hong Kong
Established: 1968
Type: Non-governmental organization
Location: Hong Kong, China Flag of Hong Kong
Website: www.commchest.org

The Community Chest of Hong Kong (traditional Chinese: 香港公益金) is an independent, non-profit organisation. It was established on 8 November 1968 in Hong Kong. It is neither funded nor operated by the Government of Hong Kong. Being one of the most important charities in Hong Kong, the Community Chest serves as an umbrella organization to provide grants to a wide range of community projects.

Contents

[edit] Vision

The goal of the Community Chest is to work for the betterment of Hong Kong through the support by millions and to build a caring society through greater participation and giving by the Hong Kong community.

[edit] Mission

The mission statements of the Community Chest are:

  • to obtain donations through community wide appeals on behalf of member social welfare agencies;
  • to act as trustee of the donors and allocate funds raised prudently to our agencies to strengthen and maximize their services to the needy;
  • to provide an integrated service for donors wishing to support a wide range of welfare services in Hong Kong.

[edit] Administration

The Community Chest is governed by a Board of Directors. Under this Board, there are four main committees, namely the Admissions, Budgets and Allocations Committee, the Campaign Committee, the Executive Committee and the Public Relations Committee. Over 300 volunteers serving in various sub-committees contributes to support the work of these committees. They also work with the 40 staff at the Chest office to accomplish their fundraising target each year and allocate these funds to 141 social welfare agencies. The chairman of campaign year 2006/2007 is Mr. Charles C L Yang, JP (楊傳亮太平紳士).

Each year, more than 1 million needy benefit from these fund-raising programmes. The Chest's administrative cost is subsidised by an annual grant from The Hong Kong Jockey Club and investment in various funds. Therefore, the Chest is able to allocate 100% of the donations they receive to their beneficiaries without any deduction for administrative expenses.

Last year, the Chest invested 3.9 billion dollars. The percentage in return was 0.0552% which was adequate for the administrative cost for the whole year.

[edit] Member Agencies

There are 139 member agencies of the Chest in 2006. They are:

[edit] Services Supported (Baseline Allocations)

[edit] Elderly Services

The services consist of 4 aspects: They are residential services, community support services, carer support services and empowerment & health services. The Community Chest of Hong Kong collaborates with other charitable and non-governmental organizations such as Helping Hand and Caritas - Hong Kong, to provide services to the elderly in Hong Kong.

[edit] Family and Child Welfare Services

For child welfare services, there are child care services, development program for residential child care services, residential child care services and child protection services. For family welfare services, there are 5 components: Family support services, services for families with special needs, services for family reunion, service for women/men as well as parent education.

[edit] Aftercare and Rehabilitation Services

Eight groups of people are provided with aftercare and rehabilitation services from the Community Chest of Hong Kong. They are the visually impaired, the hearing impaired, the mentally handicapped, the physically handicapped, the mental-ill, people who are chronically-ill, drug-abusers and people with other disabilities.

[edit] Children and Youth Services

In services provided to children and youth, provision of after school care services is one of the major parts. Also, youth counseling and services are provided in children centre. While collaborating with organizations like the Hong Kong Award for Young People and the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, developmental and supportive services are provided. Furthermore, training is provided to the youth with collaborations of Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps and Boys' Brigade, Hong Kong. Play-related services are also provided.

[edit] Medical and Health Related Services

Medical treatment is provided and also community health care is given out in the form of programs such as health maintenance program and cancer education. Other services like recreational therapy and ambulance services are provided.

[edit] Community Development and Other Services

Community services, counseling and befriending services, services for street sleepers, employment services and volunteer services are provided in different communities in Hong Kong.

[edit] Central Support Services of Multi-service Agencies

Planning, coordination and budget management of all kinds of services provided by organizations such as Project Care and the Salvation Army are concerned.

[edit] Major Events

[edit] Dress Special Day

Dress Special Day (公益服飾日, formerly Dress Casual Day 公益便服日) is a working day when people can dress casual to raise fund for the charity. The community Chest of Hong Kong first launched this campaign in 1993. Since then, it has been a popular fund-raising event with an increasing number of participants every year. Different competitions and internal functions are held in all participating organizations and schools. All donations raised have been passed on in full to benefit difficult charities supported by the chest every year, without deduction for administrative costs. The minimum donation of each participant is $50.

As more and more employers are encouraging their employees to go to work in their casual wear, the Dress Casual Day was renamed the Dress Special Day on 6 September 2006. In doing so, the theme of the activity can be more suitable and vivid and it is hoped that donation can reach a higher peak.

Poster for the year 2006

[edit] Walk for Millions

Walk for Millions (公益金百萬行) is a flagship fund raising event of the Community Chest. It was first launched in 1971. People can participate in the walk on a major highway by making a donation. Until now, over 2.7 millions participants join this meaningful event and 144 walks have been organised by the Community Chest.

[edit] Community for the Chest Television Show

Community for the Chest Television Show (萬眾同心公益金) is another major event. It is jointly organised by the Television Broadcast Limited.

Local celebrities, prominent social elite and famous stars pitch in their efforts to rally support from the general public. There are many innovative and entertaining programmes rolled out to raise funds for the Chest's member social welfare agencies.

[edit] The Community Chest Corporate Challenge Half Marathon (公益慈善馬拉松)

There are 1100 participants from 37 oraganizations participated in this event. The raise HK$3.5 million for the "Service for the Visual and Hearing Impaired" by joining the 10km Run and 21km Half Marathon.

[edit] Let's Smile (一人一歡笑)

This event was held in 8/5/2003-31/8/2003 for the first time. A "Smile Exhibition" was held to show pictures of smiling faces from different people.

[edit] Skip Lunch Day

This event is held to encourage people to donate their lunch fees to support the needy. Each donor will be given a Skip Lunch Day Pack by making a donation of HK$25. In 2005, this event is supported by more than 250 organizations and government departments. Over HK$1.7 million was raised in 2005.

[edit] Greening for the Chest

This is an educational programme with a fundraising purpose. This programme is organised annually. Individuals and organisations are encouraged to clean and plant at designated locations. It is hoped that a greener and cleaner environment can be built through co-operation of different parties for our new generation. Meanwhile, this programme is also held to raise funds for "Volunteering Services" supported by the Chest. The Community Chest has planned to allocate 5.8 million to support nine member social welfare agencies to help recruit, train, organize and refer volunteers to deliver different community services in the year 2006-2007.

[edit] Flag Day

There are numerous flag days every year. Anyone aged over 14 can participate in the street flag sale. Students aged under 14 can also join the activity if accompanied by their parents.

[edit] Donation

There are two types of general donation, namely monthly donation and one-off donation. Monthly donation can be made through autopay or credit cards. One-off donation can be made on-line, by credit card, by cheque, by phone, by direct transfer and by online donation. In campaign session 2005/2006, the Community Chest has raised a total of 200,587,999 Hong Kong Dollars.

[edit] Allocation of Fund Raised

In 2005 to 2006, the Community Chest spent 27.2% on aftercare and rehabilitation Services, 23.2% on Children, youth and elder services, 21.1% on community development and other services, 20.6% on family and child welfare services, and also used 7.6% of the fund raised in advocating medical and health related services.

[edit] Rainbow Fund

In order to help people who are in an emergency financial crisis, the Chest has initiated an emergency relief fund in early 2004. The fund has been renamed "The Community Chest Cheung Kong Rainbow Fund" to acknowledge the Group's support on 2 November 2005. This fund helps:

  • individuals and families with imminent needs - threat to survival; or
  • individuals and families with imminent needs - otherwise causing irreversible damage and social consequences;
  • the marginalised in society, and those who may be caught between gaps

In the campaign year 2005/2006, Rainbow Fund raised 4 million Hong Kong dollars.

[edit] Approval of Fund Allocation

  • Contents in the application forms and the past work of the organizations are considered.
  • The Chest will consult experts in society including government officials.
  • The Chest will make co-ordination with the government's policy for the best results.
  • Any fund allocation is approved by an independent committee.

[edit] Supervision of Fund Allocation

  • Member agencies are requested to submit work progress reports with the uses and outcomes of the funds stated.
  • Auditors' reports are used as reference.
  • There is regular visit for member agencies that receive long-term subsidy.

[edit] External links

[edit] News articles

[edit] References

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