Corporate Social Responsibility

Staff Wellness Day with SAVH 2025

In a meaningful blend of wellness and social responsibility, GEAR engaged the Mobile Massage Team from Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SAVH) for our Wellness Day. This initiative not only supported a worthy cause by engaging SAVH’s professional masseurs but also offered our staff a chance to relax and recharge conveniently from the office. By integrating support for SAVH into our wellness program, we reinforced our commitment to creating a caring workplace culture—one that values employee well-being and contribute towards a more inclusive society.

Yong-en Community Walk & BreadWalk 2024

In November, GEAR donated S$24,000 via giving.sg to Yong-en’s annual year-end campaign “With Love, Chinatown” where 40% of the donation will be matched by Toteboard. This year’s theme focuses on “Fighting Frailty” through various programmes centred around dementia, senior friendly fitness and intergeneration interactions.

On 18 Dec 2024, we introduced new joiners to our regular yet meaningful BreadWalk, distributing bread and spread and checking in on the beneficiaries. GEAR also walked through Chinatown, led by Gracie and Hayley from Yong-en, who showed us the community and how Yong-en worked with various shops in support of the businesses in Chinatown.

We visited a new space launched in August 2024, named JiaYou on Level 4 of Chinatown Point that is dedicated to seniors and caregivers. This multi-agency collaboration provides a holistic support and guidance for seniors and caregivers through their three offerings:

Wellness Inspired Senior Enrichment (WISE) for Persons living with Dementia and their caregivers
Stay Active, Optimal, Robust (SOAR) for robust seniors to build strength, mobility and coordination
Gym Tonic for seniors who wants to rebuild strength and regain vitality

Our final stop was to visit Kukoh+ a Youth and Children Development Centre launched in July 2023, located at Jalan Kukoh. The purpose of Kukoh+ is to provide a safe space and meaningful activities for youths aged 12-17 to drop in to play and learn new skills, and also extended child minding services for children aged 3-8, catered to eligible parents/caregivers who are working and/or undertaking upskilling courses. This enables the families to work towards financial stability and self-reliance.

GEAR had also deepened our involvement with Yong-en in our 7^th year of partnership by dedicating two employees who would regularly support their programmes such as BreadWalk – delivering bread and spread twice a month, FreshFood distribution on an adhoc basis, PantryPlenish – delivering dry food once a month and La Kopi – activities with seniors once a month. Through our CSR efforts, we are aligned with Yong-en’s vision of Improving lives and Impacting communities.

Batik Painting with Singapore Cancer Society 2024

On 9 September 2024, GEAR was delighted to host some 31 cancer survivors over a Batik painting workshop and lunch at the Singapore Cancer Society’s Survivorship Centre in Woodlands. We were heartened by the overwhelming response with registration snapped up promptly within minutes of its opening. GEAR’s staff facilitated and assisted the participants who came early and participated eagerly, with many enjoying the new skill they picked up doing Batik painting for the first time in their lives. Many new friendships were formed over all the fun and laughter from the Batik painting and the sumptuous lunch.

We were truly humbled by the courage of the participants who came out of their comfort zones to share their personal journey, some of whom who had overcame many painful ordeals and some who are still battling with cancer. This safe space created between GEAR and the participants was priceless, allowing deep, meaningful, inspiring and encouraging conversations which reminded us that no one is alone in this journey. Everyone’s heart was full as we ended with a birthday celebration for the July, August and September babies, celebrating life, counting all the blessings and victories thus far.

In our commitment to forge long term meaningful relationships with our CSR partners, GEAR’s partnership with the Singapore Cancer Society has been going the second year running. We look forward to many more to come!

Yong-en Charity Carnival & BreadWalk 2023

In support of Yong-en’s annual year-end campaign “With Love, Chinatown”, GEAR had increased our donation to S$24,000 via giving.sg in October 2023 to support the below mentioned events. This campaign was approved for Toteboard’s Enhanced Fundraising scheme where funds raised will be matched 40%.

The first event was the regular BreadWalk held on 15 November 2023, where bread and spread were distributed by GEAR staff to 130 beneficiaries, and we used the opportunity to check in on their well-being as well as distribute carnival coupons.

The second event was Yong-en’s first ever inaugural Charity Carnival held on 2 December 2023 at Jalan Kukoh. GEAR sponsored cash and in-kind for the carnival. Together with volunteers from all walks of life, youths, undergraduates, working adults and local residents, the carnival livened up the atmosphere at Jalan Kukoh, an area where Yong-en Care Centre (YCC) had recently established Kukoh+, their Youth and Children Development Centre.

Being our 6^th year partnering with YCC, we believe in the continuous support of YCC’s vision and mission to grow in their reach to the various beneficiaries in Chinatown and beyond!

Partnering Singapore Cancer Society 2023

On 25 July 2023, GEAR partnered with Singapore Cancer Society to sponsor and host about 50 guests from the New Voice Club and Walnut Warriors Support Groups on an outing to S.E.A. Aquarium. GEAR’s employees volunteered their time for this meaningful activity and hosted the cancer survivors and their caregivers for lunch after the event.

Our guests had expressed their gratefulness towards GEAR’s sponsorship. This was mutual with us being thankful for the new friendships formed as well as the opportunity to be able to encourage and journey with one another from all different walks of life.

BreadWalk 2022

On 16 November 2022, GEAR did a BreadWalk in Chinatown, distributed bread and spread to 130 beneficiaries, and used the opportunity to check on their well-being.

BreadWalk is done twice a month by Yong-en volunteers to ensure the beneficiaries have some supplementary aid and as a way to check in on the welfare of seniors in the community.

Support Active Aging

In support of Yong-en’s good work, GEAR donated S$14,000 via giving.sg in September 2022 into Yong-en’s Shoot for the Moon Fundraiser. This campaign is approved for Toteboard’s Enhanced Fundraising scheme where funds raised will be matched 40%. On 29 September, GEAR organized a Tea Dance session at Yong-en Active Hub (YEAH!), led by Coach Aleena from Sunny Low Dancers. This interactive session saw 18 active seniors learning and dancing cha-cha together with GEAR staff! The afternoon was concluded on a high-note with a birthday celebration and catered refreshments from Chinatown!

YEAH! was established in 2019, to encourage seniors to adopt an attitude of ‘boundless age’ and embrace the process of ageing as well as fight frailty. These recreational and life-long learning activities promote psychosocial and cognitive health and GYM TONIC, physical wellness. Members bond through shared experiences of serving one another, the community and purposeful play.

Environmental Sustainability Scholarship

In December 2021, GEAR made an endowed gift donation of S$500,000 to the Singapore Nanyang Technological University for the establishment of the Golden Energy and Resources Environmental Sustainability Scholarship. The purpose of this gift is to challenge and inspire students to see sustainable future solutions, with emphasis on considering the economic, social, and environmental impacts of the world’s energy and resources industries and providing innovative sustainability solutions thereto.

Fresh Food Distribution 2021

GEAR pioneered the Fresh Food Programme for Yong-en Care Centre in our fourth year of support. We increased our donation to provide fresh food to 140 eligible households in Chinatown. Adhering to safe distancing measures, the staff at GEAR were split into two groups to volunteer over two days. We supported the local community in Chinatown by purchasing fresh groceries from the wet market stalls, packed and distributed the fresh food to the residents. We also allocated part of our donation to refurbish selected households.

Food Distribution 2020

In our third consecutive year, GEAR continued our support for Yong-en Care Centre by donating food for eligible households in Chinatown. Due to safe distancing measures, the staff at GEAR were split into two groups over two days to pack and distribute the food to the residents.

Food Distribution 2019

On 12 December 2019, GEAR donated food and daily necessities to Yong-en Care Centre and the staff at GEAR volunteered to pack and distribute over 100 bags of items to the residents in Chinatown.