OUR HERITAGE
The Children’s Charities Association of Singapore (CCA) has been organising joint fundraising projects to benefit children since the early 1960s.
CCA believes that the impact is stronger together when member charities comes together to organise fundraising projects as contribution from the community and donors will impact not just one cause, but many causes the member charities supports for.
Now for more than 50 years, CCA continues to fulfill its founding heritage mission to this very day in helping disadvantaged children across multiple causes in Singapore.
OUR JOURNEY MILESTONES
Early 1960s
4 Children’s Charities, led by the late Mr. Francis Thomas, former Principal of St. Andrew’s School, got together to organize joint fundraising events. They were:
- Singapore Children’s Society
- Singapore Association for the Deaf (SADeaf)
- Spastic Children’s Association of Singapore, now known as Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore (CPAS)
- Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS)
1965 – 1966
After a successful Christmas Fair in December 1965 at Victoria Memorial Hall, the group formalized its cooperation and set up The Children’s Charities Association of Singapore (CCA) and officially established it in 1966. Mr. Francis Thomas became its founding Chairman.
1969
Puan Noor Aishan, wife of Singapore’s first President, Tun Haji Yusof bin Ishak became the first Patron of CCA.
1971
St. Andrew’s Mission Hospital (SAMH) was the fifth charity to join CCA.
1972
CCA was the officially registered by the Registrar of Societies, and was granted Institution of Public Charater (IPC) status.
1977
Association for the Persons with Special Needs (APSN) joined CCA as its 6th member charity.
1979
The Francis Thomas Award, an award recognising individuals or organisations that raised more than $20,000 for CCA was organised and presented for the first time to Emporium Holdings, Nanyang Siang Pau, Oxley TravelServices, and Rediffusion (S) Pte Ltd.
1993
The CCA Award, created for organisations or individuals who raised $500,000 or more for CCA was presented for the first time to Class 95FM, and Mr. Peter Joe Chia, Singapore Children’s Society’s representative on the CCA board.
2005 and onwards
‘Walk the Extra Mile with Me” Carnival was organised for the first time, and was included in CCA’s annual Christmas Fair. Children from the six members charities walked 1.5km together with their sponsors along Orchard Road.
