Operation Santa Claus connecting the Hong Kong community with a good cause

The South China Morning Post and RTHK launched the annual campaign, aiming to give local charity projects a leg-up

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(From left) Leung Ka-wing, RTHK Director of Broadcasting; Robin Hu, CEO of SCMP; Gregory So Kam-leung, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development and Allan Zeman attend the launch of Operation Santa Claus in Lan Kwai Fong. Photo: Nora Tam [operation

Published: 9:45pm, 9 Nov 2016Updated: 11:08am, 7 Dec 2016

The South China Morning Post’s annual charity campaign Operation Santa Claus was launched Wednesday night with the theme ‘small change, big change’, and calling for donations, regardless of size, for 23 of the city’s local charity projects.

The fundraiser, a collaboration with RTHK, last year raised a record-breaking HK$21.3 million for a variety of good causes in Hong Kong. This year the organisers set a minimum target of HK$17 million for a raft of new projects, many of which support the city’s youth.

There are five new beneficiaries in the 2016 campaign, including FHL Adventure Education Centre, Yes We Do Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, The Outward Bound Trust of Hong Kong and HKUST.

Outward Bound has launched an outdoor expedition programme for young disabled people. Participants will be invited to join a kayaking adventure near Sai Kung on specially adapted boats.

This year the OSC campaign, which has raised more than HK$250 million for 230 charitable causes since it was established in 1988, is partnering with Facebook and will incorporate several live video streams of events, including Wednesday’s launch.