Editorial | Operation Santa Claus success shows Hong Kong’s robust charity spirit
The citywide campaign has helped define Hong Kong’s character as a city willing to help disaster survivors and those in need of support
Hong Kong’s charity spirit is reflected in a wealth of events throughout the year, with Operation Santa Claus (OSC) being the highlight, as the city’s fundraising calendar draws to an end. For decades, the annual campaign led by the South China Morning Post and RTHK has brought hope and support for generations of beneficiaries. What set it further apart this year was an outpouring of compassion and donations for those hit by the city’s worst high-rise building inferno.
The record donations received by OSC are testimony to Hongkongers’ readiness to give in times of difficulties. The HK$5.3 million collected through the emergency appeal will go to four NGO-run projects, including helping families rebuild social connections and move from temporary shelters to permanent homes. Others cover mental healthcare for migrant domestic workers as well as residents and frontline responders. For those who have lost loved ones and homes, such targeted help translates into timely care and relief, counselling for trauma and steady support as they navigate months of displacement and uncertainty. In parallel with other relief efforts, these resources can help ensure that no survivor is left to shoulder grief and rebuilding alone.
The remaining HK$13.9 million raised will be shared by 13 projects providing various services, such as work injury rehabilitation, life-saving medicine subsidies for children with rare diseases, support for under-resourced ethnic minority groups and mental healthcare for teenagers.
Building on RTHK’s charity legacy in the 1960s and officially co-launched with the SCMP in 1988, OSC has strived to build a more inclusive and compassionate future for Hong Kong. So far, more than HK$396 million has been raised to support no fewer than 365 projects and some 100,000 beneficiaries. The annual citywide campaign has helped define Hong Kong’s character and reputation as a caring city.
The good deeds must not stop here. Be it the survivors of the deadly inferno or the underprivileged in the wider community, there are always those who need care and support. The ready-to-help spirit showcased in OSC and other campaigns should live on to ensure Hong Kong remains a caring and charitable society.