Last year, Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited (SHKP) organised the "SHKP Vertical Run for Charity – Race to Hong Kong ICC" as well as being the title and charity sponsor of the "Sun Hung Kai Properties Hong Kong Cyclothon", promoting exercise for good to the society at large. Along with the top-up donations from SHKP, total proceeds from the "Race to Hong Kong ICC" and part of the enrolment fees from the Cyclothon amounted to HK$8.68 million. This sum went toward helping seven projects in areas of psychological support from family crisis, special education needs, emotional development, and STEM learning, etc., which are expected to benefit over 10,000 underprivileged local children and youth.
Beneficiary projects include The Hong Kong Council of Social Service's SHKP Rainbow with KIDS, The Boys' & Girls' Clubs Association of Hong Kong's SHKP Project Gifted Creators, Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council's "Build Up Love" Supportive Scheme for underprivileged children and families living in rural areas of Yuen Long, Changing Young Lives Foundation's SHKP "Art to Heart" Expressive Arts Therapy Program; and Hong Kong Family Welfare Society's "Parade of Lights - Pilot Project on Child-focused Intervention Programme", The Methodist Church Hong Kong - Kwun Tong Methodist Social Service's Discover Talents through Happy Training, as well as Stewards's Youth Outlook, Youth Mental Health Services, which are sponsored through The Community Chest of Hong Kong.
SHKP Chairman and Managing Director, and also Volunteer Team Chairman, Raymond Kwok presented awards to staff volunteers and volunteer families at the SHKP Volunteer Team's 15th anniversary recognition ceremony in appreciation of their dedication and enthusiasm in serving the community.
SHKP has long served the community in keeping with its "Building Homes with Heart" philosophy. The SHKP Volunteer Team has put in about 1.1 million service hours of and helped almost 500,000 beneficiaries since its establishment. Looking forward, the Team will continue to leverage its professional skills on construction and property management to help the underprivileged this year. The Team will also partner with the Social Welfare Department, different social welfare organisations and a host of volunteer teams from other corporations to join efforts in building a caring and harmonious community.
In the beginning of 2019, SHKP Reading Club has launched a new reading platform,"Read for More", providing diverse topics as well as lively, interesting ways to promote reading and multiple kinds of books. "Read for More" is accessible by the public anytime with smartphones or tablets, which is especially appealing to youngsters.
In the first "Read for More" feature - "365 Celeb Reading List", various book recommendations from Hong Kong celebrities are included. For example, artist Stephanie Che recommends Keep Your Options Open; and St. Hilary's Primary School and VNSAA St. Hilary's School Chief Principal Chu Tsz-wing suggested The Education You Don't Know. You can also watch videos of feature interviews in the "Feature Interview" section, or listen to audio clips of excerpts from selected books to unleash imaginations in the "Listen for More" section.
SHKP-Kwoks' Foundation Executive Director Amy Kwok previously signed an agreement for the second phase of the scholarship programme at Tongji University. Since its establishment in 2006, the first phase of the programme has benefited nearly 1,600 students to date. Many beneficiaries have secured desirable jobs after graduation. Because of the outstanding academic credentials, over half of the beneficiaries have continued their studies in postgraduate programmes on the mainland, or received scholarships from renowned universities abroad.
A newly added grant will also be awarded in the programme's second phase in an effort to further encourage scholarship beneficiaries to achieve even better grades and get involved in social practice campaign, which can help build students' understanding of social development as well as positive world view plus life value.
