Las Vegas Sands Propels Singapore Food Bank into a New Era with a Powerful Three-Year Accelerator

Las Vegas Sands and Marina Bay Sands have announced that The Food Bank Singapore has been selected for the Sands Cares Accelerator, a three-year program designed to enhance nonprofit organizations’ impact on the community.

As part of the Sands Cares Accelerator, The Food Bank Singapore will focus on expanding its Bank Card Program, which streamlines food distribution for beneficiaries. Over the next three years, the nonprofit will receive $100,000 annually, along with structured guidance, strategic counsel, and mentorship from Sands and Marina Bay Sands to help scale the initiative and ensure its long-term sustainability.

“Joining the Sands Cares Accelerator will enable us to substantially scale an effective way to serve vulnerable members of our community while emphasizing the importance of nutrition,” Dr. Arthur Chin, executive director at The Food Bank Singapore, said. “Marina Bay Sands has been an invaluable longstanding partner to our organization for nearly 10 years, and we are grateful that they recognized our potential to improve this offering and, ultimately, increase our impact in the community as we work toward our overarching goal of eliminating food waste and redirecting surplus food to nourish the community in Singapore.”

Currently, The Food Bank Singapore’s Bank Card Program enables beneficiaries to access food aid from over 300 feeding partners using smart wallets pre-loaded with monthly virtual credits. However, the program still relies on manual distribution and tracking of physical cards, incurring additional maintenance costs.

With support from the Sands Cares Accelerator, The Food Bank Singapore aims to digitize its processes to enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, and extend its reach—particularly to youths in tertiary institutions.

The Food Bank Singapore is the seventh organization to join the Sands Cares Accelerator, a program launched by Sands in 2017 to fast-track nonprofits on the verge of significantly increasing their community impact. Over the three-year membership, Sands and its resorts provide extended funding, structured guidance, and customized support—going beyond traditional corporate-nonprofit partnerships.

“With more than $1.6 million invested, hundreds of hours in facilitation and consulting, and five successful graduates, the Sands Cares Accelerator has become one of our most impactful programs,” Ron Reese, senior vice president of global communications and corporate affairs, said. “We’re looking forward to seeing the progress The Food Bank Singapore will make using these resources and congratulate the organization on being selected as our second Singapore member.”

Since 2012, The Food Bank Singapore has been dedicated to enhancing food sustainability by sourcing donated food from wholesalers, distributors, supermarkets, retail stores, and individual contributions through food drives. This food is then redistributed to those in need via a network of over 300 feeding partners across Singapore, including family centers, residential care homes, and welfare organizations. Each year, the nonprofit delivers more than two million meals to vulnerable families and individuals.

Marina Bay Sands has been a committed partner of The Food Bank Singapore since 2016, supporting the nonprofit through various initiatives. The resort provides ongoing donations of unserved banquet food from the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, while its Team Members regularly volunteer at the organization’s warehouse to sort food donations and manage inventory.

Further strengthening this collaboration, Marina Bay Sands hosted its fourth annual Sands Cares Global Food Kit Build with The Food Bank Singapore yesterday. Around 300 Team Members, retail tenants, and Sands Hospitality Scholarship Program recipients came together to assemble 6,000 food kits, packed with essentials such as biscuits, rice, and canned food, to support those in need.

“The Food Bank Singapore has been an esteemed community partner for Marina Bay Sands for nearly a decade, uniting our Team Members to support its cause through volunteerism and in-kind donations,” Paul Town, chief operating officer, Marina Bay Sands, said. “We know the resources available through the Sands Cares Accelerator will further strengthen the organization for the future. We are looking forward to the next three years of witnessing various milestones with The Food Bank Singapore as it scales up its bank card program for vulnerable communities by deploying technology and innovation.”

Inspired by the entrepreneurial and philanthropic vision of Sands’ founder Sheldon G. Adelson, the Sands Cares Accelerator continues his legacy of building successful businesses while giving back to communities. The program deepens corporate involvement by empowering nonprofit organizations to expand their capabilities and better address community needs.

During the three-year membership, nonprofits focus on strengthening their operations in a key strategic area or enhancing an existing program to maximize their community impact. Sands plays an active role as both a catalyst and mentor, guiding organizations to achieve sustainable growth and long-term success.

Past and current Sands Cares Accelerator members include: