MEDIA RELEASE
CAL Hosts Annual Charity Dinner 2023 A Night of Honouring & Empowering Caregivers of Persons with Mental Health Issues
Singapore — Caregivers Alliance Limited (CAL) is delighted to announce the return of its annual Charity Dinner. The occasion stands as a heartfelt tribute to caregivers of persons with mental health issues, honouring their selfless dedication to the compassionate care of their loved ones. It also serves as a demonstration of support for their vital role. This year, the event will be held on October 26, 2023, 7pm at Orchard Hotel Ballroom 1 & 2.
CAL is honoured to have Minister for Health Mr Ong Ye Kung as our Guest-of-Honour. Additionally, there will be a special performance featuring our caregivers and Voices of Singapore (VOS), Singapore's largest choir society. VOS has previously conducted sessions for our dementia caregivers and their loved ones, and this performance enhances our meaningful partnership with them.
Empowering Mental Health Caregivers Together According to a study conducted for CAL by Milieu Insight last year, more than 1 in 4 people in Singapore is a caregiver to someone with a mental health issue. This eye-opening statistic, against the backdrop of prevailing social stigma against mental illness, highlights the need for comprehensive caregiver support. As the only non-profit organisation in Singapore dedicated to training and supporting caregivers, CAL made it our mission to journey with caregivers towards
empowerment.
"The core of our C2C training programmes is 'from one caregiver to another.' They co-facilitate and participate in the classes, forming a close-knitted, genuine community where they understand that they are not alone in their journey. They can move forward together and be cheerleaders for one another,” said Jennifer Fan, Chairman of CAL’s Board of Directors. By creating a safe space where caregivers can share their experiences, they find strength in voicing out and providing emotional support to others facing similar challenges. Some of the caregivers who have benefited from the programme have become volunteer trainers, dedicating themselves to advocating for others in the same situation. This year marks CAL's 12th anniversary in serving mental health caregivers. In total, we have trained and empowered over 10,000 caregivers. Therefore, this event is more than just a charity dinner; it serves as a platform to celebrate their collective journey and how far they have come together.
Support Caregivers with CAL
Recognising the needs of these caregivers, CAL offers our training programmes at no cost, ensuring they can easily access the help they seek. To further facilitate this cause, we are taking the opportunity to raise funds through this charity dinner. We invite the public to purchase a Gold, Silver or Bronze table to join us in making a positive impact and creating a memorable night for our caregivers. To contribute and be a part of the celebration, visit our donation page
Beneficiary of President's Challenge 2023
CAL is privileged to announce that we have been selected as one of the beneficiaries of the President's Challenge this year. This acknowledgment reinforces our commitment to our mission of going the distance with our caregivers.
See Annex A for more information on caregiver profiles, and Annex B for full event details. Media Contacts:
Grace Lim
Communications Executive, Caregivers Alliance Limited
Email: gracelim@cal.org.sg
Mobile: +65 9824 5141
Zalifah Ibrahim
Deputy Head of Communications, Caregivers Alliance Limited
Email: zalifah@cal.org.sg
Mobile: +65 9139 4491
About Caregivers Alliance Limited (CAL)
Caregivers Alliance Limited (CAL) is the only non-profit organisation in Singapore dedicated to meeting the needs of caregivers of persons with mental health issues through training and support. As their journey can be physically, mentally and emotionally demanding, CAL's mission is to engage, equip and empower them to achieve a high level of well-being and resilience.
The Caregivers-to-Caregivers (C2C) Programme for Persons with Mental Health Issues (PMHI) is CAL's signature training programme. It is a fully funded 12-week course for caregivers to gain in-depth understanding of mental health conditions, and enable them to care for their loved ones better through learning about self-care, communication, resilience building, advocacy and available community resources.
CAL also offers 8-week Dementia and Eating Disorder programmes, as well as a Young Caregiver Programme for those aged between 15 and 35.
For more information about CAL, visit www.cal.org.sg.
ANNEX A
Spotlighting Caregivers Caregivers are the heart of our mission, and they can come from diverse backgrounds beyond any specific demographic. We invite the media to connect with the caregivers below and provide a platform to share their inspirational narratives. By spotlighting their journeys, we aim to acknowledge the resilience and empowerment each caregiver has achieved and hope to inspire others in need of support. These profiles will be featured during our dinner as well.
Imran Wee cares for his mother with dementia and is a graduate of the C2C Dementia training programme. Navigating a path from incarceration to becoming a devoted caregiver for his mother, Imran discovered a newfound purpose in reaching out to others. Recently, he completed training as a volunteer trainer for the C2C Dementia programme, and now strives to give back by advocating for the needs of mental health caregivers and ex-inmates. His journey was showcased in the President’s Star Charity programme, among others.
Alex Cheong and Wang Yoke Choo care for their son with selective mutism and anxiety. Both went through the C2C-PMHI programme in an effort to navigate the journey with their child and support each other as a team. Through C2C, they gained insight into better caring for their son and, importantly, themselves. Their story offers an inspiring perspective on family support in caregiving, and has received coverage during our "Uncovering & Empowering Hidden Heroes" public awareness campaign last year.
ANNEX B
Event Details
Date: 26 October 2023
Time: 7 PM
Location: Orchard Hotel Ballroom 1 & 2
Purchase of Tables:
Gold Table – $12,000
Silver Table – $8,000
Bronze Table – $5,000
Note:
Each table accommodates 10 guests. If you are unable to attend, you may consider sponsoring a table for our caregivers.
All proceeds from this event will go towards raising funds for CAL to continue training and supporting caregivers.
All contributions, be it purchase or sponsoring of tables, or even direct cash donations, are eligible for 2.5x tax deductions. There will also be 40% matching of the funds raised through the Tote Board Enhanced Fund Raising Programme