Frequently Asked
Questions

Food from the Heart partners with grassroots organisations, schools, welfare homes, and other social service agencies to reach out to those who need our support. Our recipients include students, families, seniors, and individuals from lower-income households, as well as residents in welfare homes. Their monthly per capita income typically falls below $800.

Food from the Heart provides consistent, reliable, and sustainable food support through our five core food distribution programmes: Bread Run, Community Food Pack, Community Shop, School Goodie Bag, Market Place. In addition, we bring joy through initiatives such as the annual Toy Buffet.

Food from the Heart is an independent, homegrown charity. We do not receive regular government funding and are not affiliated with any political or religious organisations. Instead, we rely on the generosity of individuals, schools, corporate sponsors, and community partners to sustain our programmes and operations.

Walk-ins for cash donations are welcomed to our office at 130 Joo Seng Road #03-01 Singapore 368357 from Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.

We discourage sending cash via mail or any other methods, so please ensure you do so online, in person or via cheque, made payable to 'Food from the Heart' and sent by post.

Food from the Heart is an IPC-status charity in Singapore. By making a cash donation, you can enjoy Singapore donation tax relief while supporting our mission of alleviating food insecurity. Your gift helps us provide reliable, consistent, and sustainable food support to families, children, and seniors in need.

Yes, Food from the Heart is a registered IPC (IPC000634). This allows us to issue tax-deductible receipts for eligible donations, giving donors confidence that their contributions are properly recognised.

According to IRAS, the following donations qualify for tax deductions in Singapore:

• Cash Donations
• Shares Donations
• Artefacts Donations
• Donations under the Public Art Tax Incentive Scheme (PATIS)
• Land & Building Donations
• Sponsorships to IPCs

Please note that not all charities are IPCs. Only donations made to IPC-approved organisations like Food from the Heart are eligible for tax deductions.

Yes. Cash donations of S$50 and above to Food from the Heart qualify for a tax deduction of 2.5 times the donated amount. For example, if you donate S$100, you will receive S$250 in tax relief.

You can maximise tax relief by ensuring your donations are made to IPC-approved charities, providing your NRIC/FIN/UEN when donating, and opting for recurring donations such as monthly contributions. These steps help secure your eligibility and may optimise the relief you can claim within the tax year.

The following do not qualify for tax deductions:

• Donations to non-IPC charities
• Donations where commercial benefits are involved
• Goods donations outside the approved IRAS list

You can contribute in several ways:

• Online: via our donation portal
• Walk-in: at our office (Mon–Fri, 9am–6pm).
• Cheque: payable to “Food from the Heart,” mailed to 130 Joo Seng Road, #03-01, Singapore 368357.

Tax deductions are automatically submitted to IRAS by Food from the Heart, based on the donor details provided. Donors do not need to manually declare their donations. Please ensure you provide your NRIC, FIN, or UEN when donating for proper tracking. A soft copy of the tax receipt is available upon request.

Yes. Payroll donations are deducted directly from wages, while GIRO donations are processed via regular direct bank transfers. Please contact us for assistance in setting up recurring contributions.

Yes, businesses can claim a 2.5 times tax deduction for approved donations made to Food from the Heart. Companies must provide their UEN when donating to ensure the deduction is properly reflected in their tax assessments.

Yes. Donations made by employees or on behalf of a company are eligible for tax deductions, provided the company’s UEN is submitted. These deductions will be pre-filled in the company’s tax filing records by IRAS.

Anonymous donations are always welcome. However, without donor details (NRIC/FIN/UEN), the donation cannot be tracked for tax deduction purposes. We encourage donors to provide details if they wish to enjoy tax relief.

Yes. If your donation exceeds your income in a given year, unutilised deductions can be carried forward for up to five years. This applies only to local donations, not overseas causes.

Tax deductions apply only to the net amount of the donation, excluding the value of any benefits received. For example, if you donate S$500 and receive event tickets worth S$100, the deductible amount is S$400.

Donations are not deductible if they involve refund clauses, exclusivity agreements, or commercial arrangements (e.g., rights to sell donated items or significant return benefits).

IRAS provides tax incentives for overseas donations under specific schemes (e.g., PTIS, OHAS). Food from the Heart does not manage these directly, but you can refer to the IRAS website for more details.

Your donations are channelled into two main areas: purchasing food for our School Goodie Bag, Community Food Pack, and Community Shop programmes, and covering operating expenses to ensure safe and timely food delivery. Every dollar helps sustain our mission of sharing hope and nourishing lives.

Yes. We warmly welcome in-kind donations of non-perishable food. Please see our In-Kind Donations guide for details on what items are most helpful.

There is no entry requirement to volunteer with Food from the Heart. We welcome individuals of all ages and backgrounds who are keen to contribute their time and skills. You can sign up as a volunteer here.

We offer a wide range of volunteer opportunities, including food sorting, packing, delivering food packs, facilitating events, and contributing skills such as photography or graphic design. To explore all available roles, please visit our Opportunities to Help page.

Food from the Heart delivers hundreds of food packs each month to families and individuals in need. If you would like to volunteer for door-to-door delivery, please email volunteer@foodheart.org

Our weekend volunteering sessions are held on an ad hoc basis. You can subscribe to our volunteer mailing list to receive updates when new sessions are open for registration.

Your Volunteer ID will be sent to the email address you used to register on our Volunteer Portal. Please allow three to five working days for processing.

Yes, volunteers who have contributed a minimum of 10 hours may request a letter of participation. This is often used for school or corporate service records.

Not all volunteering opportunities require a briefing. Larger-scale events and the Bread Run typically include a briefing session, with details provided via email. For warehouse food sorting and packing, a short orientation is given on-site.

You can access step-by-step instructions in our Volunteer Portal User Guide. The portal allows you to register for sessions, track your hours, and manage your volunteering activities.

Food from the Heart is a registered Institution of a Public Character (IPC) with the Commissioner of Charities. Our IPC registration number is IPC000634, valid from 1 September 2026 to to 31 August 2028.

We are a registered charity in Singapore under the Charities Act. Our charity registration number is 02002, and we have been operating since 2003 as an independent, homegrown food bank.

Having IPC status means Food from the Heart has been rigorously assessed and is deemed to be operating in the community’s best interests. IPC status allows us to issue tax-deductible receipts for donations, giving our donors additional assurance of transparency and accountability.