U.S.-listed casino operator Las Vegas Sands Corp and its Marina Bay Sands complex in Singapore, have announced that The Food Bank Singapore has joined the group’s Sands Cares Accelerator. The scheme is described as three-year membership programme “aimed at advancing non-profits to deliver greater community impact”, according to a Tuesday press release.
“During its time in the Sands Cares Accelerator, The Food Bank Singapore will focus on expanding its Bank Card Program, which aims to better serve beneficiaries by simplifying the food distribution process,” stated the announcement.
The update said The Food Bank Singapore would receive US$100,000 annually for the three years of membership, “along with structured guidance, and strategic counsel and mentorship from [Las Vegas] Sands and Marina Bay Sands, to help achieve its Bank Card Program goals and make it sustainable upon completion of the Sands Cares Accelerator”.
Marina Bay Sands has partnered with The Food Bank Singapore since 2016 in a variety of engagements.
Tuesday’s release cited Arthur Chin, executive director at The Food Bank Singapore, as saying: “Joining the Sands Cares Accelerator will enable us to substantially scale an effective way to serve vulnerable members of our community while emphasising the importance of nutrition.”
He added: “Marina Bay Sands has been an invaluable long-standing partner to our organisation for nearly 10 years, and we are grateful that they recognised our potential to improve this offering and, ultimately, increase our impact in the community as we work toward our overarching goal of eliminating food waste and redirecting surplus food to nourish the community in Singapore.”
According to the announcement, The Food Bank Singapore’s Bank Card Program helps beneficiaries receive food aid from more than 300 “feeding partners” via smart wallets that are pre-loaded with monthly virtual credits.
The programme currently requires distribution partners manually to issue and track physical cards, generating associated costs. “With support from the Sands Cares Accelerator, the non-profit organisation plans to digitise its processes for operational and cost efficiency, and increase its outreach to more beneficiaries, particularly youths in tertiary institutions,” said the release.
The update said The Food Bank Singapore is the seventh organisation to join the Sands Cares Accelerator, which was launched in 2017.
Ron Reese, Las Vegas Sands’ senior vice president of global communications and corporate affairs, said in prepared remarks: “With more than US$1.6 million invested, hundreds of hours in facilitation and consulting, and five successful graduates, the Sands Cares Accelerator has become one of our most impactful programmes.
“We’re looking forward to seeing the progress The Food Bank Singapore will make using these resources and congratulate the organisation on being selected as our second Singapore member,” added Mr Reese.
Paul Town, chief operating officer of Marina Bay Sands, said The Food Bank Singapore had been an “esteemed community partner” for the casino resort.
“We know the resources available through the Sands Cares Accelerator will further strengthen the organisation for the future,” stated Mr Town.
