Raymond Khoo Swee Boon – 2024 SG Silent Hero

Raymond Khoo, a compassionate philanthropist, is the driving force behind The Saturday
Movement (TSM), a charity registered in 2022. TSM began as a ground-up initiative in 2010,
aimed at supporting low-income households, children, and the elderly in the Lengkok Bahru
and Redhill areas. Raymond’s commitment to helping the disadvantaged began in his youth,
assisting his late grandfather, Singapore’s first prison chaplain, in delivering food parcels to
Changi Prison.

Under Raymond’s leadership, TSM has become a lifeline for the vulnerable, especially
during the COVID-19 pandemic. From May to August 2020, he and a dedicated team of
volunteers delivered 1,046 high-quality meals twice daily. Another pandemic initiative
involved hand-delivering meals to elderly individuals’ post- vaccination, ensuring they were
not left alone or unwell.

In December 2021, Raymond launched the S17 Community Kitchen at Lengkok Bahru,
primarily employing single mothers and elderly residents from the vicinity. This initiative not
only provides hot meals to TSM beneficiaries but also offers a safe haven for the elderly to
congregate, play games, and exercise. Raymond prioritizes their mental wellness, leading to
twice-weekly exercise sessions, with another session to be added in September 2024.

To further support TSM’s mission of unconditional love, two high-quality meals valued at $7
each are extended weekly to all beneficiaries for dine-in or takeaway at S17 Community
Kitchen. For those who are not mobile, these meals are delivered twice a week.
Additionally, around 70 TSM volunteers deliver fresh bread and fruit door-to-door to 550 beneficiaries weekly, spending time with each household to check on their health and wellness.

Raymond’s vision of recreating a family lunch setting led to themed Saturday lunches,
attended by about 150 elderly beneficiaries weekly. These gatherings foster a family
bonding atmosphere, especially during festivals like Deepavali, Mother’s Day, the Mooncake
Festival, Christmas, New Year, and National Day.

To date, over $4 million has been spent on these initiatives, with approx. 20% coming from
well-wishers and the remainder self-funded through Raymond’s savings and related
businesses. Deeply concerned about the high suicide rate among the elderly in Singapore,
Raymond’s work honours their contributions to the nation, with unconditional love guiding
every action taken by TSM.