(18 November 2021, Hong Kong) To mark the first year anniversary of Hongkong Land HOME FUND (“HOME FUND”), Hongkong Land today announces HOME FUND’s achievements to date, a new matching gift programme for tenants and employees, and the fund’s expansion into the Chinese Mainland.
“HOME FUND was initially established to empower the younger generations, promote social inclusion and assist those facing housing-related challenges in Hong Kong,” said Mr Robert Wong, Chief Executive of Hongkong Land. “As HOME FUND enters its second year, I am delighted to report that we are extending its commitment through new partnerships and the introduction of a matching gift programme for our employees and tenants in Hong Kong, and by expanding the fund to the Chinese Mainland.”
Hongkong Land launches a matching gift programme under which it will match the donations from its employees and tenants on a dollar-for-dollar basis. The aim of this programme is to encourage its employees and tenants to support causes that align with the vision of HOME FUND and maximise the impact of their charitable giving.
In the Chinese Mainland, HOME FUND will focus on supporting youth and children. The programme is expected to launch early next year.
Hongkong Land HOME FUND works with The Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, Hong Kong, to provide language classes and career training to young people from ethnic minorities. 
The Hong Kong Council of Social Services partnered with Hongkong Land HOME FUND to enhance the upward mobility of 1,000 young people living in sub-divided apartments. 
Hongkong Land HOME FUND’s partnership with Dreams Come True Foundation has helped 61 young people with special needs to identify a professional career path. 
Hongkong Land HOME FUND supports Project Cool Teen, a five-year programme of Youth Outreach, helping young people regain interest in learning and return to school. 
Hongkong Land HOME FUND is working with Mind HK to train 50 Youth Wellbeing Practitioners to provide early intervention mental health assessment to young people in need.
In the first 12 months since its inception, HOME FUND has reached several milestones in Hong Kong:
- Out of the HK$100 million allocated to HOME FUND, HK$50 million has been committed, with new funds to be injected into HOME FUND by Hongkong Land over time.
- The number of Non-Governmental Organisation (“NGO”) partnerships has increased from three a year ago to more than 60 regionally today.
- Supporting families with housing issues: HOME FUND has agreed a partnership with The Hong Kong Council of Social Service to work with 27 NGOs to support 1,000 young people and their families living in sub-divided units in the Yau-Tsim-Mong and Sham Shui Po districts.
- Empowering youth: HOME FUND signed up six grantees in the past year to enhance its support for youth through multi-year education programmes with a target to assist more than 1,400 young people in Hong Kong.• Promoting social inclusion: Through a partnership with Dreams Come True Foundation, HOME FUND has enabled 61 young people with disabilitities or special needs to enter an employment skills readiness programme. To date, 43 jobs at 28 employers have been identified.
- HOME FUND established the HERE2HELP volunteering team in the summer of 2021. The volunteering team, which represents nearly 15% of Hongkong Land’s Hong Kong-based employees, has achieved more than 600 hours to date. Hongkong Land is targeting more than 1,000 volunteering hours and a 18% participation rate from its Hong Kong-based employees in 2022.
“Thanks to the collaboration and active participation of our NGO partners, employees, tenants and business partners, HOME FUND is making good progress to contribute to the fostering of an inclusive society,” said Ms Natalie Wu, Senior CSR Manager at Hongkong Land.