The Seacare Community Shop is more than just a new retail outlet. It’s an initiative by Seacare Co-operative Ltd to give back to the community by providing gift vouchers to beneficiaries and less privileged residents in Singapore, allowing them to shop at the Seacare Community Shop.
Located at the Seacare Building, the shop officially opened on Jan 3.
The occasion was attended by distinguished guests: Seacare Group Executive Chairman Leow Ching Chuan, Seacare Holdings Chairman Kong Mun Kwong, Seacare Foundation Chairman Goh Yeow Tin, Seacare Group Advisor Raymond Chia, Seacare Cooperative Treasurer Lee Van Chong, SOS President Kam Soon Huat, Blu Ventures Holdings Senior Director Henry Foo, and Jalan Kukoh Residents’ Committee (JKRC) Chairman Lim Kay Yong.
SOS and Seacare members, partners, and affiliates also joined in the celebration to support this community-driven initiative. Seacare Community Shop, operated by FishopMart, the convenient arm of Fishop Pte Ltd, provides gift vouchers to low-income families and various beneficiaries, allowing them to shop for nutritious seafood products. The shop offers a range of products, including codfish, prawns, and scallops.
A group of Jalan Kukoh households were among the first shoppers at FishopMart on the day of its opening. The residents were excited to find a wide range of seafood options and expressed their positive feedback and appreciation.
Monthly gift vouchers for 250 Jalan Kukoh and Chin Swee households
To ensure that Seacare Community Shop reaches those who need it the most, Seacare collaborated with JKRC and Chin Swee Residents’ Committee to distribute gift vouchers to 250 selected households in both estates, with each receiving $50 worth of monthly vouchers in 2023.
The vouchers, sponsored by the Singapore Organisation of Seamen, Seacare Co-operative, and Chip Eng Seng Group, would help these families alleviate the financial burden of purchasing seafood.
“I’m thrilled and thankful for the vouchers. I intend to apportion the food for different meals. Many of us are not working so we could not have afforded such treats. Your vouchers made our lives easier to live by,” said Mr. Liu, who works odd jobs due to his health.
Fellow resident Ms Jocema, who cooks daily, thanked the sponsors for their generosity and unwavering support for less privileged residents. Jocema said the initiative helps lower-income families, especially those with young children who need nutritional food. She fondly recalled the many other Seacare community-centric activities her family has benefitted from, such as Mooncakes and festive goodies.
“With Seacare Community Shop, we hope to foster a sense of togetherness and support for our community by distributing gift vouchers to various beneficiaries, enabling them to shop at our store. It’s our way to give back to the community and spread the joy of sharing a delicious meal,” said Mr Leow.
Gift vouchers for other communities
To extend the same benefits to other communities, Seacare hosted three batches of Sengkang residents on Jan 13, Feb 23, and Mar 21, respectively.
In collaboration with Sengkang East Constituency @ Rivervale CC, the initiative presented each resident with $100 worth of Seacare gift vouchers to purchase seafood products at FishopMart. The residents sampled cuisines prepared by FishopMart using the same seafood, allowing them to taste the quality of the products before making their purchases. On Mar 10, Seacare also welcomed beneficiaries from the Handicap Welfare Association to enjoy a similar culinary experience and receive $100 worth of Seacare gift vouchers redeemable at the FishopMart.
These visits were a roaring success as the invitees beamed with joy at the opportunity to buy quality seafood products otherwise out of their budget. Seacare cares deeply about giving back to the community and continually seeks ways to help those who need it most. The co-operative will continue to work on different ways to make a positive impact on the lives around us.
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