As 2022‭ ‬was considered by many to be a year of returning normality following life after the pandemic‭, ‬so too was the case for all of us at HCSA‭. ‬Just as we began to live life as we did pre-pandemic‭ ‬‮–‬‭ ‬going to our places of work or gathering with others at‭ ‬public venues‭ ‬‮–‬‭ ‬we at HCSA are thankful for being able to come closer together once again‭, ‬figuratively and literally‭, ‬to work closely with the vulnerable we serve‭, ‬and with each other as a team‭. ‬

This was evident too for many of us on the board‭, ‬as 2022‭ ‬promised to be a year of renewal‭, ‬with the rejuvenation of several board members and roles‭. ‬Over the years‭, ‬we’ve been blessed to benefit from the guidance and invaluable contributions by our outgoing board members‭. ‬The board renewal also‭ ‬introduced many fresh faces‭, ‬and with it new perspectives to the governance of HCSA‭. ‬We are fortunate to have many accomplished‭ ‬members serving the board‭, ‬in service of HCSA’s original mission to empower the vulnerable to find purpose for a more abundant life‭.‬

In alignment with the designation of 2022‭ ‬as the Year of Celebrating SG Families by the Ministry of Social and Family Development‭ (‬MSF‭), ‬HCSA with its various partners and donors supported and celebrated the vulnerable families our programmes have been serving since its inception through several family-centric events and campaigns‭. ‬This was evident in our inaugural launch of our Movie Night for HCSA Families fundraising event‭, ‬where HCSA’s beneficiaries‭, ‬donors‭, ‬staff and volunteers‭ ‬‮–‬‭ ‬without whom much of HCSA’s work would not materialise‭ ‬‮–‬‭ ‬came together for a rare opportunity to meet and bond with each other over a cinema screening of‭ ‬The Tiger’s Nest‭, ‬a heart-warming film about familial bonds and friendship‭.‬

Likewise‭, ‬our various partners across government‭, ‬corporates‭, ‬foundations and community‭, ‬contributed greatly towards the realisation of many new initiatives‭, ‬as well as expand and sustain HCSA’s support programmes‭. ‬Notably‭, ‬with the help of our partners‭, ‬we were able to establish a new mentorship programme to empower our alumni beneficiaries from HCSA Highpoint and HCSA DRTC by expanding their social and professional skillsets‭, ‬and open up new career possibilities for them‭. ‬Similarly‭, ‬with the support of Gilead Sciences‭, ‬HCSA Highpoint’s introduction of an anti-hepatitis C programme for our ex-offenders provided them with the means to test and treat hepatitis C‭,‬‭ ‬and seek a new lease of life‭.‬

As with our core programmes‭, ‬bringing families together remained an integral and unifying effort across HCSA‭. ‬Whether this was through the celebration of HCSA Highpoint’s alumni‭, ‬A.I.M‭. ‬Society celebrating its third year anniversary with programmes like the‭ ‬‘Foundation of Love’‭, ‬which saw HCSA Highpoint couples strengthen and renew their marriage commitments to each other‭; ‬the launch of HCSA SPIN’s‭ ‬‘Lend A Helping Hand’‭ ‬referral campaign for the purpose of reaching out to more single-parent families in the community‭, ‬thus expanding the HCSA SPIN‭ ‬members family‭; ‬or even alumni outreach efforts that saw alumni members re-connect through social gatherings and festive events‭ ‬for HCSA DRTC’s alumni programme‭ ‬‮–‬‭ ‬OWENA‭ ‬‮–‬‭ ‬as well as culinary skills enhancement programmes that provide HCSA Academy’s alumni with further training opportunities to help them to remain competitively skilled in the F&B industry‭.‬

Indeed‭, ‬following a year of renewal and solidifying of familial and communal bonds in 2022‭, ‬we at HCSA now look forward to new opportunities in 2023‭ ‬with renewed vigour and dedication for the life-saving and transformative work we do for our vulnerable beneficiaries‭, ‬to grant them renewed hope and a future‭!‬

Warmest regards‭, ‬
Dominique Choy
President‭, ‬HCSA Board of Directors

HCSA’s vision is‭ ‬‘To Give A Future And A Hope’‭ (‬Jer‭. ‬29:11‭), ‬and our belief in this has helped to anchor us in spite of the tumultuous past few years of the pandemic‭. ‬Through‭ ‬the ups and downs‭, ‬we have come out stronger than ever‭, ‬and our community’s grit‭, ‬character‭, ‬and adaptability burn brighter than before‭. ‬A scriptural verse that resonates most with me as we journeyed through the past year was Isaiah 45‭: ‬2-3‭ ‬“I will go before you and will level the mountains‭; ‬I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron‭. ‬I will give you the treasures of darkness‭, ‬riches stored in secret places‭, ‬so that you may know that I am the LORD‮…‬”

2022‭ ‬was a revival of sorts as life had picked up pace in our‭ ‬“next normal”‭, ‬enabling us to continue efforts in empowering our vulnerable communities to find purpose for a more abundant life‭. ‬In that same vein‭, ‬we acknowledged the need to strengthen our organisational resilience so that we can be ready to tackle the challenges of‭ ‬today and the future‭.‬

Thus‭, ‬the rallying cry in 2022‭ ‬‮–‬‭ ‬and theme for our annual report‭ - ‬was‭ ‬‘We’re All In T.H.I.S Together”‭, ‬T.H.I.S being Transforming HCSA Inside-Out‭, ‬Step-by-Step‭. ‬We remain committed in our quest to becoming a high-performing‭, ‬innovative‭, ‬and sustainable social service agency‭. ‬As such‭, ‬I would like to briefly share key highlights from last year that illuminate our progress‭:‬

New initiatives to improve our beneficiaries’ social and economic mobilities

It is no secret that the pandemic underscored stark inequalities experienced by many of our vulnerable groups‭. ‬Hence we are heartened that our corporate partners align with our mission and joined forces with us to kickstart new initiatives‭. ‬Together with Allen‭ ‬&‭ ‬Overy and‭ ‬‘Jesus the Light grant making project’‭, ‬we launched STEP UP‭, ‬a mentorship programme designed to connect former clients from our HCSA Highpoint and HCSA DRTC programmes with various community stakeholders to guide and support them in their reintegration journeys‭. ‬We also partnered Hongkong Land‭ ‬to commence an online tuition programme for the children of our single-parent families under our HCSA SPIN programme‭. ‬

Supercharging both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ skills in a modern workplace

We know that a thriving HCSA team will enable us to deliver quality services to those in need‭. ‬That is why it’s important to invest not only in our people’s growth and development but also in the tools that they use to perform each day‭. ‬We implemented Robotic Process Automation‭ (‬RPA‭) ‬into select work processes to optimise our organisation’s lean resources‭. ‬The coaching programme we embarked in 2021‭ ‬has also been extended and made available to all HCSA staff‭. ‬Knowing how our people feel is important to us too‭, ‬so we are encouraged with the healthy participation and responses from our organisation-wide events like HCSA Chats‭. ‬

Forging new and nurturing existing partnerships to improve sustainability

Sustainability‭ ‬‮–‬‭ ‬particularly that of financial‭ - ‬continues to be an area of priority for us as well‭. ‬Inflation affects all of us‭, ‬but charities are really feeling the pinch‭, ‬especially with rising operating costs‭. ‬Besides trying new ways of fundraising‭ ‬‮–‬‭ ‬holding our inaugural Movie Night for HCSA Families and selling Give Hope cookies‭ ‬‮–‬‭ ‬we are deeply thankful to have the steadfast‭ ‬support of so many corporate and community partners‭, ‬and volunteers to help us advance our cause‭.  ‬

As I reflect on 2022‭, ‬I take pride in our collective achievements as one HCSA‭. ‬Uncertainty will continue to abound in the coming‭ ‬year‭, ‬but I have faith that with the grace and anointing of God‭, ‬our team’s resilience‭, ‬and community support‭, ‬we will be able to handle any challenge the future may bring‭. ‬

Sincerely yours‭,‬
Kim Lang Khalil
Chief Executive Officer