Regular exercise sessions organised by the SPD Day Activity Centre help Ms Veronica Tan work on her physical mobility.
Tumbling about at the playground and playing hide-and-seek with the neighbours' kids are things you might find the average five-year-old doing.
But for Ms Veronica Tan, 39, life was very different.
Soon after a bout of chickenpox at age five, Ms Tan's parents started noticing worrying symptoms such as seizures and the loss of strength on the right side of her body. A frantic dash to the hospital confirmed their fears: She had Rasmussen's encephalitis, a rare autoimmune disease that attacks the brain, causing progressive weakness on one side of the body, cognitive decline and other issues.
The disease slowly impacted Ms Tan's mobility, leaving her reliant first on a stroller, then a wheelchair as she grew up.
At 19, Ms Tan's mother enrolled her in SPD's Day Activity Centre (DAC), which supports people with disabilities, helping them regain independence in their daily lives.
Staff and volunteers worked with her on practical skills - learning how to move in and out of her wheelchair, how to perform basic housekeeping - and perhaps most importantly, how to connect with others and build confidence.
She says: "SPD has made my life better."
Those early days were, however, quiet. Ms Tan didn't speak much. But the social rhythm of the centre - the shared meals, games, singing sessions - gave her space to come out of her shell. She began to connect with other participants and even made friends.
Ms Tan lights up when talking about her best friend at the DAC, Lin Yu An. "We chat all the time, swop social media clips of our favourite singing competitions, and sing karaoke together," Ms Tan shares.
To stay active, Ms Tan joins weekly badminton and gym sessions at the centre, which are part of the DAC Without Walls initiative. The programme also provides skills training via customised activities at community centres. One of her regular stops is Phan Nee supermarket in Choa Chu Kang, where she helps repack and restock goods.
Behind stories like Ms Tan's is support from organisations like Community Chest and DBS that keeps such programmes running.
Community Chest, the National Council of Social Service's philanthropic arm, has contributed to the continued sustainability of some of SPD's programmes and services.
Through its support and donor referral, SPD was recently able to replace three ageing wheelchair-accessible vehicles, ensuring that clients of the SPD Day Activity Centre, such as Ms Tan, continue to enjoy safe and reliable accessible transport service. This is just a fraction of its work to strengthen over 100 social service agencies in Singapore.
Its wide reach and critical aid are why many corporate firms support it. DBS, a longtime partner, has been supporting Community Chest since 1990. The bank is also part of the SGShare programme, where employees can make monthly donations through an automatic payroll deduction.
As of May 2025, 4,655 DBS employees, or about a third of the bank's local staff, are part of the SGShare programme. Ms Jennifer Ong, 58, vice president of the bank's consumer banking group, is one of those who have opted in to donate.
She explains: "Community Chest lends a hand to so many varied and inclusive initiatives that empower adults with disabilities, care for the elderly, uplift needy families, assist children with special needs and do much more.
"Even though I can't physically volunteer at all these initiatives myself, giving to the SGShare programme is a good way to do my part for them."
Beyond donations, DBS also encourages volunteering through its DBS People of Purpose programme. Employees get two volunteer-leave days every year, which they can use to join skills- and service-based programmes that align with the bank's goal of creating impact beyond banking. In the decade since 2014, its staff have collectively volunteered over one million hours, helping over 790,000 people.
In 2024, DBS further deepened its commitment to supporting those in need, pledging up to $1 billion and 1.5 million volunteering hours over the next decade.
Ms Cora Seah, 48, the consumer banking group's senior vice president, notes that the People of Purpose digital portal has a regularly updated list of volunteering opportunities, making it easier for staff to give back. "Even if we have the heart to help, we may not know which groups would welcome it, or when and how we can help. This list lays it out for us," she says.
Both Ms Ong and Ms Seah take this opportunity to volunteer a few times each year.
Ms Ong has sponsored grocery bags for the elderly living in rental flats, taken part in waterway clean-ups and volunteered at a student care centre for children with special needs.
For her part, Ms Seah has rolled up her sleeves for meal preparations at soup kitchens and wrapped Christmas presents for beneficiaries.
Volunteering has changed Ms Seah. She says: "I strongly believe that doing good gives us a sense of accomplishment and purpose."
For Ms Ong, giving does not have to be about big gestures. What matters is the intention behind it. She recalls a line from the late Mother Teresa that has guided her "Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love."
Smiling, she adds: "Many drops make an ocean. If all of us contribute, the impact will be wonderful."
For Ms Tan, it is also the small things that count - the chance to sing with friends, keep active at the centre and share laughter over simple routines. With friends by her side and support from the wider community, she is able to live each day with more ease and confidence.
Inspired to contribute and make a difference? This SG60, join corporates like DBS in
giving back through SGShare
and help build a more caring and inclusive Singapore.