Family Day cum Open House (FOCUS)

On Saturday 9 December 2023, TFS along with other social service providers actively took part in Kampong Chai Chee’s Make a Difference Day. The community event was hosted by Senior Minister of State and MP (Kampong Chai Chee), Mr Tan Kiat How. Situated near Heartbeat@Bedok, our outreach booth was swarmed by more than 350 curious onlookers. Some noteworthy findings from our surveys include clear willingness among participants to seek help from FSC or social services, their readiness to engage with professionals both in-person or via telephone calls – with only a handful favouring Zoom sessions (5%) and live chats (3%), and most of them recognising counselling as a resource to resolve family issues. Participants were also generally able to identify different forms of family violence, although only few identified verbal or emotional abuse at the onset. In all, the outreach event was a success and underscores TFS’ commitment to making a positive and lasting impact in the Bedok community.

Every tree comes from a seedling, and what better way to inspire community horticulture than engaging the younger generation? On 15 November 2023, staff and volunteers of the community farming team hosted a group comprising 18 students and 2 teachers from Bedok Green Secondary School’s Environment Club. The students learnt gardening tips and ways to start their own edibles garden in their school compound. They also participated in a guided and interactive tour of Rainbow: Plot of Hope. The community farming team looks forward to a year of bountiful harvests and social engagements through nature.