SINGAPORE, 6 JULY 2026 – A Singapore Red Cross Youth (RCY) initiative, Project R.I.C.E.+, has raised close to $700,000 to support the local vulnerable communities, including the low-income, skipped-generation, single-parent families, isolated seniors, persons with disabilities, and migrant workers. 

Spearheaded by 29 youth leaders from 10 Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) and involving close to 300 youth across Singapore, the annual youth-led project mobilised 46,238 bundle sets of essential provisions to be distributed to about 30,000 households. These households are identified from the Singapore Red Cross’ programmes, Family Service Centres, Residents Centres, Community Centres, and Parent Organisations. 570 volunteers were involved in the packing and distribution of the bundle sets over two weekends.

“Community service gives our Red Cross Youth the opportunity to better understand the realities faced by vulnerable communities in Singapore while nurturing empathy, purpose, and a lifelong commitment to humanitarian services. It is heartening to see their efforts supported by our partners, who believe in the work that they do and generously share resources to create significant social impact. We will continue to develop and empower the youth to be humanitarians and changemakers,” said Mr Benjamin William, Secretary General/CEO, Singapore Red Cross.

Volunteering is not new to 16-year-old Mohamed Akheel Haziq, as he is also part of the Red Cross Youth Uniformed Group (UG), participating in events such as First Aid Championships. He wanted to continue spending time more meaningfully, and desired to do even more for the community. He chanced upon the Project R.I.C.E.+ recruitment poster for committee members and became the youngest of the organising committee – as District Head. Being his first time leading a large-scale project, he was noticeably nervous. He soon realised everyone shared the same sentiment and spirit of doing good and was quickly welcomed with warmth, kindness, and patience. 

“Every single interaction during the fundraising initiative was a unique experience for me. There were shoppers who took time out of their day to listen and be supportive of our efforts for the vulnerable communities in Singapore. Knowing that I could contribute in my own way made everything worthwhile. With this experience, I will expand my volunteering journey and remain committed to support the vulnerable,” said Mohamed Akheel Haziq. 

Sheng Siong has been a steadfast partner in supporting Project R.I.C.E.+ since 2009, helping to extend the reach of our youth-led initiative into the heartlands with its extensive network of supermarkets. Over the years, Sheng Siong has encouraged and rallied its shoppers to contribute towards meaningful causes and support vulnerable families. Beyond the amplification, Sheng Siong also provided sponsorship, enabling SRC to support more communities with essential items.