Our Milestones
Pioneering Years
The late Brigadier Herbert A Lord came alone to Singapore from the United Kingdom to explore the commencement of The Salvation Army’s mission. The first headquarters was located at 47 Killiney Road, which housed the activities for social work and evangelical outreach.
The first Boys’ Home for orphans and the poor was opened at Kim Keat Road. Later that year, a Home for Women’s Work was established at Paterson Road. This shelter cared for destitute women and those victimised or forced into prostitution. This developed into the Women's Industrial Home, which moved to River Valley Road in 1937.
The Salvation Army set up its headquarters at the house of Tan Yeok Nee along Clemenceau Avenue.
The government’s ex-prisoners’ assistance (Discharged Prisoners’ Aid Society) operations were handed over to The Salvation Army.
Immediately after the war, The Salvation Army was asked to undertake the work of rehabilitating many displaced children and young people in Singapore.
Lee Kuo Chuan Nursery at Upper Bukit Timah opened after moving from Woodlands.
President Benjamin Sheares officially opened a new Boys’ Home at Changi. This was later expanded to a Children’s Home to help meet the community’s needs.
Lee Kuo Chuan Nursery was converted to Lee Kuo Chuan Home for the Aged, which showed The Salvation Army’s adaptability in meeting the growing demands to care for the elderly.
Season of Expansion
The Haven opened on Pasir Panjang Road, providing shelter and care to vulnerable children.
The Home Collection Service, the precursor of our Red Shield Industries, focused on collecting unwanted items for sale to those who could not afford much, and it started at Bencoolen Street.
The Salvation Army provided counselling to the victims’ family members affected by the Hotel New World Disaster. The Army also helped by caring for the rescue workers.
Family Support Services provided practical support to needy families and the elderly.
The first of our child care centres at Ang Mo Kio commenced. Catering to community needs, more centres later opened in other housing estates namely Bukit Batok, Bukit Panjang and Tampines.
Gracehaven, a $6 million complex built by the government was officially opened. Children from The Haven and the Boys’ Home moved to Gracehaven.
The Salvation Army Singapore, Malaysia and Myanmar Command Headquarters was relocated to a new building at 20 Bishan Street 22.
In response to the increased need for day care for the elderly, Bedok Multi-Service Centre for the Elderly was started.
The Red Shield Industries replaced Home Collection Service with the opening of new thrift stores.
The Salvation Army’s first ever Red Shield Appeal Luncheon was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.
Advancing into the Millennium
The general of The Salvation Army, General John Gowans and Mr Lim Hng Kiang, Minister for Health, jointly opened the Peacehaven Nursing Home. Residents from the Home for the Aged were then moved to the newly opened Peacehaven Nursing Home.
Our command dispatched an emergency relief team to Taiwan after a devastating earthquake struck the country. We also provided 5,142 sleeping bags and 1,000 tents to the victims.
The Haven reopened its doors to provide quality care to children and youth who come from challenging or dysfunctional home environments.
Two concerts by Don Moen were held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium to help raise funds for Peacehaven Nursing Home.
General of The Salvation Army, John Gowans opened Praisehaven, a complex that housed William Booth Corps, Eratchippu Corps, William Booth College for Mission, the Praisehaven Retreat Centre, and the Red Shield Industries Mega Store.
The Salvation Army Youth Development Centre was created to reach out to underprivileged young people.
Peacehaven Nursing Home was gazetted as an Approved Provider for Integrated Framework for Health Services for the Elderly.
Dr Alexandre Chao was a Salvation Army soldier who died from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) while serving in a hospital fighting the deadly virus. Dr Chao had voluntarily cut short his leave in the United States to join his colleagues to fight SARS in 2003.
Peacehaven Nursing Home was presented the Certificate of Commendation for Overcoming SARS by President S R Nathan.
To mark our 70th Anniversary, the Salvation Army held a Celebrities Banquet for 350 beneficiaries cum ‘celebrities’. The event also promoted intergenerational bonding and team building amongst our different social service centres.
Peacehaven Nursing Home opened the Hope Resident Living Area, the first dementia-specific facility in Singapore that was funded by Lien Foundation.
We received a generous outpouring of $1,012,951 for the Myanmar Cyclone Disaster Appeal.
Prison Support Services - Kids in Play became the official name of our programme that supports children of incarcerated parents and their caregivers.
Shaping the Future
President S R Nathan was the guest of honour at the Red Shield Appeal Luncheon to understand The Salvation Army's programmes for the vulnerable and marginalised in the community.
To mark World Kindness Day, The Salvation Army Corps hosted a Banquet of Honour for 90 foreign workers from eight different countries.
Minister for Health, Mr Gan Kim Yong, officially launched the 32-bed Grace Corner at Peacehaven Nursing Home, an initiative by the Eastern Health Alliance. It was the first transitional convalescent facility in Singapore.
President Tony Tan Keng Yam was the guest of honour at the Red Shield Appeal Luncheon.
The Salvation Army Singapore, Malaysia and Myanmar Territory hosted the 2014 International Conference of Leaders in Singapore. General André Cox and Commissioner Silvia Cox met President Tony Tan Keng Yam at an event hosted by the British High Commission to recognise The Salvation Army’s work in the region.
Residents at Peacehaven Nursing Home built Singapore’s Tallest Straw Lantern. This feat was also recorded in the Singapore Book of Records.
The Haven launched the Siblings Programme to grow a stronger support system and improve relationships.
Peacehaven Nursing Home’s Hope Resident Living Area won the Ageing Asia Investment Forum’s 2nd Asia Pacific Eldercare Innovation Awards for Best Dementia Care Programme.
Red Shield Industries officially launched its Family Hub at Tanglin Road. The hub is the main processing centre that replaced the previous centre at Upper Serangoon Road. Poised to engage the community on a new level, the hub comprises other amenities in addition to the store.
Peacehaven Nursing Home, Lien Foundation and Khoo Chwee Neo Foundation jointly unveiled plans for ‘Jade Circle’, an extension that would use innovative technology and features to enhance privacy, independence and safety for persons living with dementia.
To encourage residents to engage in activities beneficial to their health, Peacehaven Nursing Home introduced the ‘Life We Know’ programme that empowers the residents to be in control over their choices and rewards them with activities that enhance their quality of life.
Gracehaven started the Interim Placement and Assessment Centre to provide a temporary care environment for young persons under child protection while assessment of their needs is undertaken to facilitate their placement in the most appropriate care environment.
President Halimah Yacob visited our children and staff at Gracehaven as part of her ‘Tiny Bites’ programme.
Gracehaven Fostering was launched to provide interim or long-term alternative care in a safe and secure home for foster children and young persons who need care and protection.
Sojourn was started to improve the well-being of the male migrant workers community and the social integration between the local and migrant communities. English classes, counselling services and various activities are provided to benefit the migrant workers.
Peacehaven Nursing Home won the Best Active Ageing Programme (Residential) Award at the Eldercare Innovation Award.
We collaborated with the Centre for Domestic Employees to open Carehaven, a shelter that provides nurturing programmes for foreign domestic workers caught in challenging circumstances.
Peacehaven Jade Circle Arena was launched as an international lifestyle club and health centre for the young and old to interact in a safe environment.
Peacehaven signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding with RHA Academy and the City of Glasgow College to provide gold-standard training opportunities in improving dementia care.
We held our first online Red Shield Event. Nick Vujicic, an international motivational speaker delivered the keynote speech. We also shared how we helped our beneficiaries amid the pandemic such as providing 2,400 meals for underprivileged families in the community.
Sojourn - SGCare Community Help Centre was opened in Sungei Tengah Lodge to provide emotional support, counselling and assistance to migrant workers at their doorstep, leading exercise classes in spite of COVID.
Peacehaven is the first nursing home in Singapore to achieve international accreditation by the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS) International's Accreditation Program based on the Quality Improvement Program (EQuIP) Residential Care Standards.
Peacehaven Jade Circle Arena was presented the ‘Best Day Centre’ award for providing the best centre-based health care and social services to facilitate ageing-in-place at the 9th Asia Pacific Eldercare Innovation Awards.
As part of social and community integration, Sojourn and TOUCH International launched ‘Blossoms of Friendship’, a monthly programme for migrant workers from Westlite Accommodation to go on complimentary tours at Gardens by the Bay.
Prison Support Services was started to help mitigate reoffending risks by providing aftercare support to former inmates in their re-integration journey into the community.
The Salvation Army was awarded an Advocate for Second Chance award in recognition for the aftercare work with the incarcerated clients.
We initiated a new user-friendly volunteer management system on Givlly platform to enhance the volunteer experience.
Family Support Services commenced the Seniors Digital for Life programme to equip seniors with digital literacy skills and help them become confident in using digital apps in their daily lives.
Sojourn started a new cafe in Little India to provide a soup kitchen programme and social services as an extension beyond purpose-built large dormitories to migrant workers living in the vicinity who are injured or malnourished. It used to be a brothel and is now a place of hope.
The Salvation Army was awarded the Public Transformation Award by Minister Chan Chun Seng to recognise our organisation’s excellence in service delivery, innovative and organizational practices to help children of incarcerated.
Peacehaven Bedok Arena was officially launched to provide active ageing, befriending and dementia day programmes for seniors to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information & Ministry of Health opened Peacehaven Jade Circle and Faith Resident Living Area (RLA). The Jade Circle model of care focuses on autonomy, choices and dignity to improve the quality of life for elders and people living with dementia.
Peacehaven Jade Circle Acaredemy signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Dementia Australia to promote greater understanding of dementia by incorporating virtual reality technology in our existing dementia care training programmes.
