Application Period: Dec 20, 2019 - Jan 17, 2020 Funded by the Community Care Fund (CCF), a total of HKD287.04 million has been allocated to the “Assistance Programme to Improve the Living Environment of Low-income Subdivided Unit Households” (The Programme).  The Programme will operate for 2 years starting from the second quarter of 2020.  It is administered by the Social Welfare Department and operated by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, and will partner with non-governmental organisations to provide support services for the benefit of 24,000 SDU households. Partner NGOs will outreach to SDU households and help them improve their living environment through carrying out minor improvement/repair works, purchasing furniture and household goods as well as pest control services.  The Programme also aims at providing SDU households with welfare information and easier access to community resources, as well as engaging volunteers so as to build mutual-care networks within local communities. You are cordially invited to join the briefing session below, to understand more about the service workflow, application procedures and the role and responsibilities of partner NGOs. Briefing Session on the “Assistance Programme to Improve the Living Environment of Low-income Subdivided Unit Households”: Date: 20th December, 2019 (Friday) Time: 11:00 am to 12:00 nn Venue: Room 201, 2/F, Duke of Windsor Social Service Building, 15 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Targets: Agency Members of The Hong Kong ...

Dear HKCSS Agency Members and WiseGiving Members, You are invited to apply for a Citi Foundation grant for a program related to one of the following focus areas: 1. Youth Economic Opportunities 2. Financial Inclusion 3. Community Solutions Of particular interest are programs that: • Use innovative approaches to expand delivery and lower the costs of serving more low income people • Focus on urban low-income population  • Promote scale and thought leadership  • Produce positive, measurable behavior change and the accumulation and preservation of financial assets for low-income populations • Provide opportunities for Citi employee involvement, in particular skilled volunteering Program Grant Range: • Depends on the program size, reach, delivery and results Program Period and Duration: • Preferable for one year program Submission Process: Please submit your proposed program using the attached Concept Note* with Program Budget Template and Board and senior staff list of your organization to [email protected] on or before Friday, January 3, 2020. Late submission will not be considered. Successful organizations will be notified to submit the full program proposal in the 1st quarter of 2020. If no email reply is received within 3 months, your submission will be considered as unsuccessful. Please read the Application Guidelines for details and find more ...

為改善服務使用者的生活質素，並減輕護理人員及照顧者的負擔和壓力，「樂齡及康復創科應用基金」於2018年12月成立，並預留10億元資助安老及康復服務單位購置、租借和試用科技產品。基金推出後反應踴躍，第一批次申請共批出三千七百多萬元資助予二百多個安老及康復服務單位購置或租用超過870項創科產品。基金第二批次申請已於2019年9月24日截止，共收到來自六百五十多個服務單位合共超過2300個項目申請。我們一起聽聽兩位社福機構代表的分享。 ...

「自己精神上會覺得很舒服，忘記了自己是一位長期病患者，完全集中在音樂上，將來會繼續努力，成為一位專業的表演者。」脊髓小腦萎縮症患者陳蔚斯說。 音樂無分國界、種族及身體條件的限制，因此德和慈善基金成立「香港共融樂團」，讓殘疾人士及音樂家在同一舞台上演出，推廣傷健共融。樂團將與藝人張學友、圓號演奏家Felix Klieser (菲力斯·克立澤)及泰國視障交響樂團合作，於11月26日假會展演出，大會將免費派發門票給予慈善團體、殘疾人士及公眾。 克服困難  擴闊眼界 「她 (陳蔚斯) 第一堂的時候不停強調自己的手指肌肉比較弱，(我說)無論只得一隻手指也可以開始，她的吸收能力及耐力很強，會用很多方法幫助自己，基本上看不到她是坐輪椅的話，與常人一樣，還要是勤力的一批。」陳蔚斯的豎琴導師曾澳英說。 陳蔚斯期望以音樂擴闊眼界，除了自己對著樂譜彈奏外，同時希望配合其他音樂元素，與不同的音樂家合奏，而香港共融樂團給了她機會，與更多專業音樂家交流。 練習時同樣帶來治療的效果 陳蔚斯指一般的重複性物理治療十分沉悶，當自己喜歡音樂及豎琴，不斷重複練習，無形中也是一種物理治療，練呼吸、手指力量，物理治療師亦察覺她的情況有所好轉。 ...

去年超強颱風「山竹」吹襲，香港仔海旁滿地塌樹，而且大多都是十分堅硬的桃花心木，可造出各種耐用木製品。「如果拿樹枝來做柺杖就一流了」，老伯呢喃自語，拿起斷枝在地上敲敲又放下了。自幼鍾情木工的青年Derren在旁邊剛好聽到，靈機一動，決心為老伯代勞，回到蒲窩青少年中心的製作空間Maker Space，開展製作木柺杖的大計。 改造樹枝前要先風乾約半年，之後經歷刨皮、打磨雛形、磨平表面、連接手柄等工序。柺杖的高度、角度、手把設計要配合使用者的需要，而且必須是防滑；這些都是Derren帶著半製成品走在街上，不斷跟長者傾談所收集的意見。 柺杖或會予人「虛弱」的感覺，Derren再製作行山杖的款式，並用「求生繩」繫成手把，一旦長者發生緊急狀況亦有此小工具傍身。 去年9月，Maker Space獲東亞銀行慈善基金撥款支持，Derren的柺杖製作大計得以順利實踐，中心其他青年亦會將塌木製成拇指琴、枱。剩餘的木碎亦有用途，將之打磨成不同形狀，讓孩子動手製作獨一無二的玩具。 ...