Volunteers from Sands China Celebrate Chinese New Year by Serving Elderly

Around 200 volunteers from Sands China, including Sands Cares Ambassadors, company executives, and other team members, continued a 15-year tradition of serving the elderly for Chinese New Year, with a visit to Seac Pai Van public housing in Coloane Feb. 1.

While there, the volunteers shared the warmth of the festive season with around 150 elderly residents, all of whom are users of the Peng On Tung Tele-Assistance programme organised by the General Union of Neighbourhood Associations of Macau (UGAMM). The volunteers brought along cleaning supplies for their visit in order to clean and tidy up the homes of the elderly to welcome the year of the Dragon.

Sands China has supported the Peng On Tung Tele-Assistance programme since 2010 and has donated MOP 3.03 million to date, helping it deliver value-added services for nearly 16,800 elderly people. The funds help support people with financial difficulties to use the service and also go toward helping the programme develop more value-added services.

During their visit, the Sands China volunteers delivered Chinese New Year gift packs containing useful staples like noodles, biscuits and soup packets. The gift packs were prepared by persons with disabilities and were purchased through Fuhong Society of Macau. Some of the Sands Cares Ambassadors with specialised training provided additional services like haircutting and simple household maintenance. Sands China also arranged for staff from the company’s facilities team to replace burnt out lightbulbs with new LED bulbs.

The visit is part of this year’s celebration of the 15th anniversary of the Sands Cares Ambassador programme. Sands China launched the programme in August 2009, becoming the first integrated resort operator in Macao to establish a volunteer team; membership now surpasses 3,300 volunteers from across all of Sands China properties. The programme provides team members with a platform to serve the local community through organising various community activities and engaging in volunteer services, thereby conveying love and care to local disadvantaged groups, contributing to local social development, and helping to establish a harmonious and inclusive community.