Giveinstead.sg Celebrates 50 Fundraisers Milestone!

We are excited to share that we have completed our 50th celebratory fundraiser since our launch in 2023!

Founded by Shoken Tsurumaru, Giveinstead.sg, which started as a simple idea of helping to redirect celebratory gifts toward charitable causes, has grown into a community-driven platform that is changing the way people in Singapore and beyond approach giving.

Giveinstead.sg helps people turn personal celebrations such as birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries into meaningful opportunities to support those in need. Through a free concierge service, we support each fundraiser from start to finish, including campaign design and execution, charity matching, and coordination with trusted charity partners.

Across our first 50 fundraisers, Giveinstead.sg has raised over S$138,000 from 850 donors working closely with 21 charity partners. These efforts have touched the lives of more than 5,500 people not only in Singapore but also in communities in Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Japan. Funds raised have supported seniors, people with disabilities, orphaned children, and families facing financial hardship, through communal meals, festive celebrations, enrichment programmes, transport assistance, essential supplies, and other initiatives where needs were most urgent.

A distinctive feature of Giveinstead.sg is our emphasis on trust, transparency, and personal connection. All donations are processed through trusted giving platforms, including Giving.sg and Give.Asia, or transferred directly to charity partners. This approach ensures accountability and allows donors to give with complete confidence, knowing that their donations go directly to the intended causes. Where possible, donors are also invited to participate in in-person activities, allowing them to witness and experience the impact of their giving firsthand.

We have also received growing recognition for our innovative approach to grassroots philanthropy. We have been featured on MediaCorp Channel 8, and our Founder Shoken Tsurumaru has been recognised as an Icon of Change and named a finalist for the President’s Volunteerism and Philanthropy Awards in recognition of his contribution to building a more compassionate and inclusive community.

Reflecting on the journey, Shoken shared that the idea behind Giveinstead.sg came from noticing how much goodwill already exists in everyday celebrations. By offering a simple and trusted pathway to give, Giveinstead.sg lowers barriers and helps generosity become a natural part of life rather than a separate initiative.

Looking ahead, we aim to expand our reach through schools, community groups, and partnerships while continuing to refine systems that make celebratory giving easy to adopt and scale. As we mark this milestone, we remain focused on our mission to weave giving into the fabric of our society; and make giving joyful, personal, and a part of everyday life.