dear volunteers,

we thank you for your response! in just a short couple of days, we have reach our targetted number of volunteers needed for the upcoming Toys Buffet!

Due to the overwhelming response, we will not be needing any more volunteers for the event. This is because, we are worried we will have too many volunteers but not enough duties for all to cover.

we are very sure there will be other volunteer opportunities in the near future.

we seek your upmost understanding & thank you for your support once again!

Ain

Dear Volunteers,

Once again, Food from the Heart will be organising our mega toy carnival known as Toys Buffet 2009! This year, Toys Buffet will be held on Saturday, 07th November at Maha Bodhi School.

The event will start at around 0900hrs and is expected to end at1800hrs.

Date: Saturday, 07th November

Time: 0900-1800hrs

Venue: Maha Bodhi School (10 Ubi Avenue 1 S408931)

On this day, we will see 20 toy booths being set up in the school hall and another 15 fun & fringe activity booths being set up at the school canteen & indoor basketball court respectively. All the 20 toy booths are taken up by donors’ schools and will be manned by student ambassadors.

As for the food & fringe activity booths, we are hoping to rope in our volunteers to join and help us out.We are calling out to our volunteers that are available to help us out at this fun filled event.

We would need help in these following areas: – manning of food / drink counters (about 8 pax) – manning and in-charge of fringe activity booths like games & temporary tattoos (about 12 pax) – In-charge of the helium gas tank & all deco (about 4 pax)

The main objective of this event is to spread joy to the underprivileged children and to inject a sense of compassion among the students from the donor schools. So join us in our mission to make more children happy!

Please drop me an email directly at ain@foodheart.org for more details or further enquires. Many thanks in advances

Best Regards,

Nurul’Ain Hamzah

Every year, Food from the Heart will team up with corporations and even individuals to organise Christmas parties for our beneficiaries at some of the Self Collection Centres.

By doing so, we are hoping to spread cheers and joy to the less fortunate families and individuals. After all, Christmas is about sharing isnt it?

Currently, we are looking for sponsors that can come forward to  sponsor the Christmas Parties. Like every year, we will have different parties at  various locations on different days! We will even have someone to dress up as Santa to entertain the little ones!

All you need to do is pledge the donation and we will take care of the planning. On the day of the party, you and your team can come and run the party and even mingle with the beneficaries.

For more details on how you can help spread cheer this festive season, please contact Ain @ ain@foodheart.org or Sarizan @ sarizan@foodheart.org

We will be more than happy to talk to you.

Yours sincerely,

Ain

“One of our company’s aspirations is to “Strenghten the Community” in which we live in. Since we were set up in Singapore in 2005, we have organised several charitable events to reach out to the needy in our society.

In August 09, we kicked off the canned food donation drive to support the food from the Heart (FFTH) charity organisation. The donation drive was held from 12th to 31st August 2009. Our employess were encouraged to participate in this drive by donating at least 2 canned food items. By the closinf date, we have collected nearly 1,500 canned food items from our generous employees.

We are pleased to present all these donations to FFTH on 7th Sep 09 at 4pm in our facility. John Stevens, our Plant Manager, has presented the donations to FFTH founder, Christine Laimer.

On behalf of Edwards Lifesciences, we would like to wish FFTH success & we looking forward to work with you again.”

Best Regards,

Maureen Ng

Senior HR Manager

Recently, some of you may have come across FFTH postcards at the  magazine stands all across Singapore. this is made possible due to the wonderful collaboaration we had with the good people at Zocard.

These postcard managed to intrigue interest of the public and also create some kind of awareness about Food from the Heart and its five community programmes. We have had good response from the public so far and we are grateful for that.

For those of you who might not have seen the postcards, we would like to share with you the idea visually.

hi folks,

Like any good dish, the ingredients must be correct. Like any interesting event, so must the various components be in the right place and time too!

Ah, this FFTH has plenty in terms of talents and its volunteers knowing what should be fun and play! And so, on this Saturday afternoon (25Jul09), some 60 volunteers and FFTH office members gathered in this interesting out-of-the-bustling-city hideout at Orchidville.

A number had to seek out the place. Ain had difficulties convincing the Taxi-Ah-Pek that it was not in the Zoo side but on the opposite side! Well, you know who paid for the price! (^^) Inside this seemingly ulu place that is an Orchid farm, there was a rustic kind of hall that looked more like a tentage and yet was air-conditioned. We were surrounded by beautiful flowers and beautiful people. We need a chef to ensure that the dish comes out good, and this afternoon, we have the chef in the form of Terry. We cannot ask for more.

 The theme was green. Everyone tried his or her best to come in green or at least earthy in colour. Even one volunteer’s mum (80+ years old?) also came in green. Talk about people ready to party. (^^) These are our volunteers, very positive and cheerful. And with Terry adding spices and stirring up a storm, the room was constantly filled with laughters, giggles and smiles. No one, well, almost, escaped the notice of the chef.

 Christine brought the challenging news and the good news, the challenging news being that there were more demands for assistance and reducing corporate sponsorships, but then, the good news was that there were new sponsors coming on board. Volunteers were also doing their part, not just supporting in the activities but connecting FFTH Office to the potential sponsors.

Put Terry and Ain together, what do you get? An explosion of fantastic ideas, and of course,the participants had to work for their afternoon high tea. The “Bingo” of questions in the table competition was not the usual trivials. It was not just about Singapore, but it was indeed a mind stimulating game too. Talking about IQ and EQ.

 The mind boggling math questions that we had returned to our teachers long ago came back to haunt us. Terry was asking Ain from where she got those questions. The intention of this get together was to encourage volunteers to interact and network. What great ideas when one of the questions asked for the name of someone in our midst with a family name of “Goh”. One table that was lucky has that “Goh” in their table. The rest had to find out. How about the names of the participants who are left-handed? Hmm …

By the time we had moved towards the food – but of course – all the tables were already in motion as new friends chat and old friend caught up with each other.

Alas I had to run to another appointment and so I will have to depend on the rest to fill in on the grand finale. I saw boxes of orchids by the side of the hall, which I am sure are now in the living rooms of the participants by now. (^^)

 A great afternoon, thanks to Terry and Ain, the two main stars (I believe) supported by a wonderful cast – they had to do many things to make the afternoon a success, not to mention including temperature taking! And of course, for any event to be successful, it depends a lot on the participants. They excelled! (^^)

Victor Yue

Board Member

马林百列民众俱乐部上海越剧欣赏学会，为“爱心粮食”慈善筹款，

将于明年（2010年3月）举办两场大型演出，

欢迎对越剧表演艺术有浓厚兴趣的各界人士，

踊跃报名，参与其盛！

Marine Parade CC Shanghai Yue Opera Appreciation Club is jointly organizing with Food From The Heart a charity performance to showcase two full-length classical opera epics.  The performance will be held in Victoria Theatre in March 2010.  Members of the public interested in participating in this event and have a passion for acting, please enrol!

Nurul’Ain

Email: ain@foodheart.org

Hi folks,

It’s that time of the year again, full of excitement as FTTH launches Passion Ball 2009. It was hard work for the organisers – ask the ChairLady, Olga and Ain – but it was something to be remembered and cherished for both the attendees and the organisers, for another wonderful and creative night.

This year, Passion Ball 2009 was held at Capella Singapore, probably the newest hotel in Singapore, on Sat 11 Apr 09. A storm had just passed Singapore and as we descended through the drive into the darkened narrow road leading through lined trees in Sentosa, we saw a grand building welcoming us, all lighted. Was this formerly the barracks? Alas we have to wait for another day to check it out.

 A book of dreams, a fairy tale? awaited us. From all these years of PassionBall, we know the hallmark of Olga’s organisation of the Ball, tip top! From a feast to the eyes right to the palate. Despite the gloomy weather – be it nature or the economy – Olga reported that the supporters of Food from the Heart have responded generously in coming again to join in this Passion Ball. Proceeeds from the Passion Ball is one of the important pillars that help sustain FFTH activities. It was a book well written. All the characters were in place and as each chapter unfolded, the scene came into play. Gosh, am I being carried away? (^^)

Well, each table now did not go according to table number or chapter number! Beautiful and handsome faces, gorgeous clothings heightened up the evening, complemented with the set up and the animated paintings on the screens on all sides of the oval ballroom. The DJ of the night, Terry Johnson, further enriched the night with his commentaries, his teasing and his drawing out the crowd to gel the night into a big party. The night was set as the crowd welcomed the Guest of Honour, Mrs. Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, who had graciously agreed to grace the occasion. While we enjoyed each dish placed in front of us, Miles Tranter and the United World College Jazz Band entertained us with great jazz hits.

Appreciation of food – sight and taste – complemented with sounds was just almost complete! With the main course being served, it was time for the auction. This year’s auction has a wider spread, a spa stay in South Africa to one in Hua Hin, Thailand and in Bali too; stay in Capella Hotel in Austria and Germany, necklace and Judith Lieber Bag and the most interesting one must be the travel by private jet (BJETS) for 6 persons to Langkawi for a dinner on a private beach and then back.

The generous bidding added more for the FFTH’s coffer for the year’s operations. The biggest attraction must be the performance by Evgeny and Sabrina, specially flown in by Lufthansa. Their performance are beyond words, maybe, a few snapshots might give you an idea. (^^) Sarbrina’s handling of the hula loops is just incredible. She made it as if it is a childplay. Evgeny, who has been performing with well known companies such as Cirque du Soleil, made juggling with the soft circular boards whilst standing on a ladder like a simple routine. We know too well the skills required.In between the performance, we had four beautiful models – almost like from the fairy tales – moving in puppetry motions bathed in soft lights that even made my photopraphs look like paintings!

Perhaps, with great food, great company, music and performance, and yes, the champagne and the wonderful red wine, I might have been carried away being too lyrical, but I thought I want to share with you a little of what I saw and telling you that while these people were enjoying themselves, they were also contributing towards FFTH keeping it running smoothly for yet another year. A challenging year for most people!

Passion Ball 2009 has successfully raised a total of $225,000 nett.

To Christine and Henry, Olga, Ain and the FFTH Team, with the volunteers who also worked in this Passion Ball, another great and successful event capped! Not to forget the sponsors who have stuck with us despite challenging times.

Victor Yue Board Member, FFTH Singapore

Dear Friends,

We, at Passion Ball invite you to celebrate and become inspired in 2009. This year’s Passion Ball will be based on a daring and imaginative theme: the ‘Book of Dreams’, a concept inspired by Italian auteur Frederico Fellini’s films and fantasies. The 2009 Passion Ball will display this lavish theme by turning the room into a wonderland of surrealism and creativity. To satisfy our collective passions and the cause of the Passion Ball 2009, we implore you to come embrace and create this energy with us.

Come dressed simply in your best, and expect an evening of glamour, indulgence and great entertainment amongst convivial friends.  Dine on the fine cuisine passionately prepared by Capella Singapore’s team of exceptional chefs. Indulge in the night’s extravagant fashion feature, and be amazed by an internationally renowned entertainment act before dancing the night away. Relax over cigars and after dinner drinks alongside a tempting dessert buffet. Indeed, enjoy the finest of passions throughout the evening. The night promises all the magic and delight that you have come to expect from Passion Ball.

Passion Ball 2009 will be held at the brand new Capella Singapore on Saturday, April 11 at 7pm. The significance of this year’s location, the Capella Singapore on Sentosa ensures that the charity gala dinner will be comparable to none. Passion Ball 2009 will be the first premier event to be held at this ultra-luxury hotel.   Capella Singapore offers an inspiring natural setting. Residing on 30 acres of lush rainforest, the hotel’s peaceful setting on a knoll features a masterfully restored colonial building forming a centrepiece to modern architectural elements and sculpture gardens rich with contemporary art working together to charm and inspires all attendees.

All the proceeds to the Passion Ball will go towards a similarly forward-thinking charity: Food from the Heart – a registered non-profit organisation established in 2003 to alleviate hunger and suffering in Singapore.  From its humble beginnings of delivering unsold bread and bakery items to welfare homes, Food from the Heart now runs five programmes all designed to help less fortuned Singaporeans.  In total, Food from the heart reaches out to over 11000 individuals and 160 welfare homes and schools.

So, for the sake of our dream, our inspirations, and a charitable cause close to our hearts, come share a creative and compassionate evening, all the while making a difference in Singapore.  Help us help others in need!

Date:                Saturday, April 11 2009

Time:               7.00 pm

Venue:             Capella Singapore, Grand Ballroom

Tickets:            Premier tables: S$10,000

                       (Limited tables available on a first come first serve basis)

Seats: S$500 per person

Inclusive of a gourmet dinner, fine wine, drinks at the bar and great entertainment. 

Please make your checks payable to Food from the Heart and include your NRIC/Passport number and company’s name for double tax deduction benefits.

Dress Code:     Black tie / Dreamy

For ticket sales, please contact Ain at ain@foodheart.org

 Best regards,

Ain

Events and Public Relations Executive