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The Director of Social Welfare (DSW), Ms Carol Yip, and members of the Management Committee of Tang Shiu Kin and Ho Tim Charitable Fund (the Fund), including advisors Mr Richard Tang and Mr Hamilton Ho, today (January 23) hosted an annual reception for the elderly and distributed lai see packets in celebration of the upcoming Lunar New Year to show their care and respect.
Speaking at the reception, Ms Yip said the Fund has been providing timely financial assistance to needy families and individuals to help them tide over their difficulties since its inception in 1977. The Fund continues to advocate the beliefs of the two founders and follows the venerable tradition of respecting the elderly and caring for the disadvantaged.
She pointed out that the Fund granted $3.08 million to 878 approved cases last year (2012-13). This year (2013-14) as at the end of December 2013, the Fund had approved 535 applications with an amount of $1.85 million. The Fund has earmarked another $3.1 million for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) as social relief grants for the coming fiscal year.
Ms Yip took the opportunity to extend her sincere thanks to all members of the Management Committee of the Fund for their long-term support and care for those in need.
She also pointed out that the Government has devoted extensive resources towards various services for the elderly, including increasing day care places and extending the service hours of new day care centres and units to ensure that the elderly can get proper support. The Government has also adopted multi-pronged measures to increase the supply of residential care places for the elderly.
Attending the reception today were some 40 elderly persons, aged between 63 and 87. The Fund presented a wonderful show and treated them to a lavish and healthy lunch, as well as offering them best wishes for a happy Lunar New Year.
The Fund was founded by the late Sir Tang Shiu-kin and the late Dr Tim Ho with DSW Incorporated acting as trustee of the Fund under Chapter 1096 of the Laws of Hong Kong. Members of the Management Committee include descendants of the founders (advisors), prominent members of the community and representatives from relevant government departments, the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and Po Leung Kuk.
The Fund's objective is to provide timely financial assistance to needy individuals and families in emergency situations for whom other sources may not be applicable or readily available. Recipients of the Fund include the unemployed, disaster victims, the chronically ill, the disabled, single parent families and the elderly.
Ends/Thursday, January 23, 2014
Issued at HKT 14:39
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