Volunteer a 'daughter' to seniors living alone in Yishun rental flats

She starts fund to pay for their medical needs and serves as a 24-hour helpline’

- Shermaine Ang

To seniors living alone in Housing Board rental flats in Yishun, Ms Priscilla Ong is more than just a volunteer.

The 41-year-old is part-daughter, part-24-hour helpline to the lonely elders of blocks 436 and 438, even putting herself down as their next of kin to help them settle their affairs before the end of their lives.

In March, she started an emergency fund to help them foot their medical expenses and cab fare to appointments after noticing that they often put off seeing a doctor when they fell sick as they could not afford it.

"They're all above 75 years old.

Many of them are not in the best of health and are in and out of hospital. I feel that it's a good thing to be there for them."

These efforts are part of the former infant care teacher's initiative Project Love Lunch, which she started in 2014 to provide free food to children who were showing up to class hungry.

But in 2016, Ms Ong met with a car accident which left her barely able to walk.

She was two days away from being promoted to senior teacher, but had to quit as she was unable to keep on teaching.

She now uses a mobility scooter to get around.