Book raises $600,000 for charity
A book project featuring more than 100 stories on fond memories of instant noodles has brought people together for a good cause. Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung will be the guest-ofhonour at an event to launch the book on 17 August at 5.30 pm at Raffles Hotel.
Titled Instant Comfort: A Collective Memory and published by not-for-profit arts organisation TRCL, the 236-page book features heart-warming stories from the community.
Says Mr Colin Goh, Chief Executive Officer of TRCL: “We all know that the new normal has driven the creative industry and charity sector to pivot from in-person fundraising events and performances to less traditional ways of generating revenue and donations to serve audiences and beneficiaries.
“As a charity arts organisation, we do not, as it is said, ‘waste a crisis.’ We see it as an opportunity to think out-of-the-box on how we embody the can-do spirit while relentlessly pursuing our vision to be a positive impact on the community through the arts.”
The idea of the book was inspired by an observation from the TRCL team on panic-buying that occurred during the Circuit Breaker last year. Instant noodles were one of the top three grocery items that flew off supermarket shelves.
Adds Mr Goh: “We realised that the snack could become a common denominator that attracts and binds peoples from all walks of life. Thus, the idea of a book that could bring the community together arose, serving as a repository of sorts for the community to share a memory, a moment from their lives. In the current situation we also felt that such a book would make an appropriate occasion to raise funds for our deserving causes.”
Instant Comfort includes stories from corporate chieftains, healthcare workers, students, national servicemen, artistes, foreign domestic workers, retirees, community organisation members, professionals, young and old. The book includes accounts by Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin, Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung, artiste and creative director Kit Chan, blogger mrbrown, former Olympic swimmer Oon Jin Teik, celebrity chef Eric Neo, William Wan of the Kindness Movement, Phillip Tan, Chairman of Community Chest, Lee Chee Koon, Group CEO of CapitaLand, to name but a few.
The 101 stories are at once heart-warming, humorous and life-affirming with this snack as a talking point.
Says Mr Alvin Tay, Deputy Chairman of TRCL and Advisor to the BT BAF: “The book is the creative output of a charity arts organisation which has seized the opportunity to engage diverse communities in a meaningful manner. Instant Comfort: A Collective Memory has brought the community together at a time when morale is tested, and visibility is not as clear as we wish it to be. The human spirit is resilient in challenging times and we are constantly finding a myriad of ways to stay resourceful and cheerful.”
Funds Raised for Charity
Instant Comfort: A Collective Memory has raised $600,000 for two children’s charities – The Business Times Budding Artists Fund (BT BAF) and The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund (STSPMF). We are grateful for the support and generosity of our donors including Lee Foundation, Sea Limited, CapitaLand Hope Foundation, FairPrice Foundation, Mind the Gap 200
Fund, Perennial Holdings and The Hour Glass. Our venue sponsor is Raffles Hotel Singapore.
WHERE TO BUY
Price of Book: $25 (inclusive of GST)
Launch Day Special on 17 August
On the launch day from 5.30pm, the book can be purchased at Raffles Boutique, the Raffles Hotel Singapore. Only for this evening, each book will come with a specially-designed bookmark (limited quantity, while stocks last) created by the beneficiaries of BT BAF. The book will be on sale at Raffles Boutique till 24 August.
From 18 August
Online Platforms
• eCapitaMall
• KrisShop Cares
• TRCL website
• Shopee will have a special promotion of the book in September
Physical Outlets
• 10 Square in Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road, #10-01, Singapore 238896
• The Little Arts Academy, 930 Yishun Ave 2, Northpoint City, #03-38, North Wing, Singapore 769098
We’d like to thank the Raffles Boutique and our e-commerce platform partners eCapitaMall, KrisShop and Shopee for helping us promote the book to the community.