NTUC scales Home Refresh initiative, uplifting living spaces for families in need

Since the start of the year, the homes of some 61 lower-income families have been given a new lease of life, thanks to the efforts of NTUC and its network of volunteers from unions, community groups, corporate partners and the Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC).

NTUC Care recently completed its second Jalan Kayu constituency Home Refresh session on 10 April 2026, where 15 homes in the district were cleaned, decluttered and repainted.

The result: more conducive living spaces for families in need.

NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng, who visited the refurbished homes on the same day said that the Home Refresh initiative is part of NTUC’s broader commitment to caring for workers and their families.

He said: “We stand with workers not only at work, but in the realities of their everyday lives — so that when they return home after a day’s work, they have a safe and comfortable place to rest, recharge and spend time with their families.”

Mr Ng added that he hopes to expand the Home Refresh initiative to more households across Singapore, so that NTUC can continue to bring practical support to more families.

Home Refresh upscaled

The Home Refresh initiative was first introduced by NTUC Youth in 2016.

Now led by NTUC Care, the initiative is also supported by the congress’ corporate partners and the NTUC-U Care Fund.

On 20 January 2026, the team visited the homes of eight and 18 residents in Jalan Kayu and Radin Mas constituencies, respectively.

Mr Ng and NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Melvin Yong, with the help of some 200 volunteers, led efforts to clean, declutter, repair and repaint homes in their own respective constituencies.

They helped residents like Grace Tan, who said that initiatives like these are meaningful, especially for households of limited financial means.

“Having this kind of support really makes a difference, and we are very grateful for it,” said the Radin Mas resident.

Subsequently, a second tranche of the initiative was carried out on 14 March 2026 at Tampines Changkat constituency, whose member of parliament is NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Desmond Choo, where another 20 homes were refreshed.

After this latest batch of refreshed homes at Jalan Kayu, NTUC plans to visit homes in constituencies like Kolam Ayer and Punggol Shore.

Mr Yong said: “What started as a localised effort has grown into a coordinated initiative to support more families across Singapore. This scale-up has been made possible by the NTUC-U Care Fund, which allows us to translate contributions into practical, on-the-ground support for lower-income members and their families.”

NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Melvin Yong giving a hand during the Home Refresh at Radin Mas.

Home Refresh complements broader NTUC Care programmes

Beyond refreshing homes, NTUC also continues to support lower-income union members and their families through a broader suite of NTUC Care assistance programmes.

There are programmes that provide financial assistance across different life stages and needs like the Caregiver Support, Youth Enable, Hardship Grant and CAP+Ure Fund.

Complementing these efforts, NTUC earlier this week launched two initiatives to support workers and their families.

These include the NTUC Community Fund, which will be built into a $500 million endowment over five years to provide sustained support.

Separately, FairPrice Group announced a price freeze and doubled discounts for CHAS Blue and Orange cardholders to help ease daily cost pressures.

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