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  • CHARIS
  • Donations
  • Activities

01Who is CHARIS?

Caritas Humanitarian Aid & Relief Initiatives (Singapore) Ltd (CHARIS) is the umbrella body for overseas humanitarian aid and disaster relief efforts of the Archdiocese of Singapore. CHARIS is a member of Caritas Internationalis and was launched on 20 August 2010 by His Grace, Archbishop Nicholas Chia.

As the umbrella body for overseas humanitarian aid by the Archdiocese of Singapore, CHARIS has contributed and supported numerous relief responses and humanitarian efforts in Asia and beyond.Humanitarian situations cover natural disasters and other adverse circumstances faced by the poor and needy, especially in developing countries in the region.These includes funding for food, medical aid and shelter for immediate relief as well as the long - term support of those displaced and in need. Join us in being the helping hand of the Church – reaching out to those afflicted by natural disasters and poverty – and making hope happen!

02What is the difference between CHARIS and Caritas?

CHARIS and Caritas Singapore are both organisations that fulfil the Church’s social mission. Caritas Singapore focuses on serving communities in Singapore, while CHARIS focuses our efforts on overseas humanitarian aid and efforts.

03Does CHARIS only help Catholic organisations?

While the funds are managed by Catholic groups and organisations, please be assured that there is no discrimination on race, religion, or nationality for the end beneficiaries.

01Why donate to CHARIS? What is the Humanitarian Aid Fund?

The Humanitarian Aid Fund was established to support the humanitarian work of the Church in Singapore. It enables CHARIS to provide humanitarian assistance beyond just victims of natural disasters to all other forms of crises, adverse circumstances or humanitarian need that may occur overseas.

We rely on donations from the Catholic community to help us in our humanitarian mission. Your contribution, of any amount, will go a long way to make a difference to our brothers and sisters overseas who live in poverty or are affected by disasters or strife.

In accordance with the permit granted to CHARIS by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), please note that this request for funding is extended to the Catholic Church congregation of Singapore only.The money collected is used to provide grants to organisations undertaking disaster relief and humanitarian work and the operations of CHARIS.

02What are Specific Funds?

Specific Funds are a segment of donations from people who identify with a specific cause, region, or organisation. These funds will be used for the specified intentions and will be restricted from use in other areas. Examples of such Specific Funds include past funds collected for JRS and the people of Gaza.

CHARIS also holds fundraising campaigns that are dedicated to such Specific Funds, like those featured on our homepage.

If you would like to support CHARIS in our mission and not for any specific causes, you may consider donating to our Humanitarian Aid Fund, where the funds will be channelled to various disaster relief and humanitarian causes approved by our Grants Committee on a case by case basis, in accordance to our Grants funding principles and processes.

03What donation methods are accepted?

Here are the available modes if you wish to donate:

1. Credit Card
2. PayNow
3. GIRO
4. Cheque
5. Cash

More detailed instructions can be found in the donation pages for the Humanitarian Aid Fund, and the respective campaigns.

04Can I make a refund on my donation?

All donations are non-refundable.

05Will I be eligible for tax relief for my donations?

We regret that contributions to CHARIS do not qualify for tax deductions, as CHARIS is not registered as an Institution of Public Character.

06What is the minimum and maximum amount that I can contribute?

We welcome donations of any amount.

07How can I make an anonymous donation to CHARIS?

You may make an anonymous donation via our site Make Hope Happen or by sending a cheque to CHARIS without providing your personal information.

The crossed cheque should be made payable to “CHARIS HAF”, bearer only (i.e. strike out “Or Bearer”) and send it to: Caritas Humanitarian Aid &Relief Initiatives, Singapore(CHARIS)

55 Waterloo Street
#07-02 Catholic Centre
Singapore 187954

Alternatively, it can also be dropped at the address identified below for cash.Cash should be put in a sealed envelope, marked “For CHARIS” and dropped at our office at the address stated above. (Please do not mail cash.)

Do note that with anonymous donations, you will not:

-Receive an acknowledgement email for your donation.
-Receive updates on how your donations have made an impact, and other updates from CHARIS.
-Request for changes or disputes to payment

08I would like to contribute regularly by debit/credit card. How do I do this?

Yes, you can make monthly contributions by credit/debit card. Simply visit this page Humanitarian Aid Fund and click on “Monthly”.

09When will monthly deductions be made if I signed up to be a regular donor via debit/credit card?

Monthly deductions will be made from your credit/debit card within one to three days of the anniversary of your pledge each month. For instance, if you signed up to be a regular contributor via credit/debit card and your first transaction was successfully charged on the 10th of the month, the next deduction will be made between the 10th to 13th of the next month.

An exception to this will occur if your first transaction was successfully charged between the 29th to 31st of the month. In this case, monthly transactions will be charged to your card on the last day of each subsequent month.

10I would like to change the credit/debit card that I am using to contribute regularly to the Humanitarian Aid Fund. How can I do so?

You can make changes to your contributions via through the Make Hope Happen portal, by logging in with your username and password.

11I would like to stop regular contributions I am making through my debit/credit card. How can I do so?

You can stop your regular contributions through the Make Hope Happen portal, by logging in with your username and password. Alternatively, you can write to info@charis-singapore.org or call us at 6337 4119 to make your request.

01If I do not wish to donate money, what other ways can I contribute?

"All of us are created in God’s image; yet as individuals each of us is unique. We have special talents and skills that can be used to help others in need. In the words of Mother Teresa “We can do no great things, only small things with great love."

Volunteering, or giving of one’s self to help others, does not have to involve large complex initiatives. You may wish to consider signing up as a volunteer with CHARIS or its Member Organisations. Ways to participate include through Events, Mission Trips, Training and General Volunteering.

02As a volunteer, what can I do?

Volunteering, or giving of one’s self to help others, does not have to involve large complex initiatives. At CHARIS there are several areas of volunteering:

• General Volunteering
Volunteering is integral to the work that we do in CHARIS. We need volunteers for a myriad of activities and no effort is too little. It can be as simple as helping us with admin, copywriting, graphic design, photography, or events.

Mission Trips
CHARIS works closely with our Member Organisations, many of whom organise mission trips to benefit victims of disasters and other humanitarian situations.Join us to reach out and help those affected by disasters and adverse humanitarian situations. Many volunteers return after the experience touched by the joy of the communities they helped, and the compassion which Christ had for the suffering. Read more about their experiences in Voices or about mission trips in our Missions section. You are also welcome to join us at our events or courses and trainings. CHARIS organises courses and trainings to provide the necessary foundation knowledge, skills, and spiritual formation to prepare our participants for overseas missions.

03How can I sign up to be a volunteer with CHARIS?

The latest volunteering opportunities are updated on the Make Hope Happen site, and you will be able to browse through the various volunteering opportunities listed by CHARIS and its Member Organisations.

To stay updated on the latest news or volunteering activities, sign up for an account here or join our mailing list here.