St. James’ Settlement’s CharityToday Wins ‘Platinum Award for Excellence in Innovation Award’ at HKCSS’s ‘Champions for Good Awards’
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
22 May 2025
A one-stop assistance subsidy search and online application platform Combining technology and philanthropy
St. James’ Settlement has consistently pursued innovation, addressing social welfare needs and bridging service gaps through different services. Our one-stop assistance subsidy search and online application platform, CharityToday, which is funded by the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund (SIE Fund), has received the ‘Platinum Award for Excellence in Innovation Award’ at the ‘Champions for Good Awards’ organised by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS).
In addition, four projects from St. James’ Settlement have been shortlisted as finalists in the third round of the judging process, including the home-based exercise training programme ‘Elder Wellness Express’ aimed at alleviating pain for the elderly, ‘Wellness Pro’ which supports teachers’ mental and physical wellbeing, ‘Brain Enhancement for Seniors with Teens (BEST 2.0) Community Intergenerational Project’ which prepares youth to become board game instructors and assist the elderly in preventing and alleviating dementia, and ‘GOODS-CO’, the one-stop second-hand goods matching platform.
Ms. Josephine Lee, Chief Executive Officer of St. James' Settlement expressed gratitude to the HKCSS for organising the ‘Champions for Good Awards’ and to all judges for their support and recognition. She remarked, “We are thankful for the funding from the SIE Fund, which enabled the launch of the CharityToday platform. This platform optimises the use of community resources, empowering beneficiaries with better access to information, faster assistance, and preserved dignity. We are also immensely grateful for the judges’ recognition. This award not only affirms our team’s hard work but also validates the vision behind CharityToday.”
The award-winning CharityToday platform, supported by the SIE Fund, was launched in 2022. It enables individuals in need to search for and apply to multiple assistance programmes online and receive subsidies digitally. This approach enhances convenience, offers greater choices, and better preserves the dignity of beneficiaries.
The first phase of the programme was completed in June 2024, with over HKD 14 million in aid subsidies distributed. The programme has now entered its second phase, which will gradually introduce new features, including online donation capabilities, electronic voucher distribution, and integration with the government’s ‘iAM Smart’ one-stop personalised digital services platform to streamline user login and data entry, further supporting more individuals in need.
The ‘Champions for Good Awards’ organised by the HKCSS, evolved from the ‘Best Practice Awards in Social Welfare’ which launched in 2003. This year, HKCSS revamped the programme to highlight the rapidly evolving services and emerging trends in the social welfare sector. The ‘Champions for Good Awards’ comprises 14 awards across two categories, including ‘Excellence in Driving Change’ and ‘Excellence in Service’.
Photo 1 and 2：St. James’ Settlement’s one-stop assistance subsidy search and online application platform, CharityToday has received the ‘Platinum Award for Excellence in Innovation Award’ at the ‘Champions for Good Awards’ organised by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS). The award ceremony was held on 21st May at the ‘S+ Summit cum Expo 2025’.
About CharityToday
CharityToday is the first digital platform that connects subsidy searching, application and e-wallet in Hong Kong, funded by the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund. Service users can easily search for suitable assistance programme at CharityToday platform. This not only respects their dignity but also offers more convenience and more choices. CharityToday website:https://charitytoday.hk
About the SIE Fund
The SIE Fund was inaugurated in 2013 and is overseen by the SIE Fund Task Force under the Commission on Poverty. The Task Force Secretariat is established in the Digital Policy Office under the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau. The SIE Fund acts as a catalyst for social innovation in Hong Kong. By facilitating social innovation and cultivating social entrepreneurship, the Fund aims to make an impact in alleviating poverty and social exclusion, promoting social integration, and enhancing the well-being and cohesion of society. SIE Fund Website: https://www.sie.gov.hk/tc
About St. James’ Settlement
ounded by the Rt. Rev. Bishop R.O. Hall of the Anglican Church in 1949, St. James’ Settlement began as a club for boys and girls in a temple in Stone Nullah Lane, Wanchai. It was then developed into a six-storey building on Kennedy Road in 1963 to provide diversified services, including children and youth services, elderly services and rehabilitation services. In 1987, the headquarters was opened in Stone Nullah Lane so that the scope of services could be further extended. Our first centre outside Wanchai (named Central and Western District Elderly Community Centre) was established in 1990. Since then, different service centres have been developed and most of them are located along the north coast of Hong Kong Island, from The Belcher’s in Western to Hing Wah Estate in Chai Wan. In recent years, in view of the society’s ever-changing needs, we have opened service centres in Kowloon and the New Territories. To date, our 114 service points are in operation across Hong Kong, serving more than 3.5 million person-times, and our target beneficiaries include children, teenagers, families, the elderly and people with disabilities.
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