Building Acceptance & Offering Hope For People With Special Needs
History
Christian Outreach to the Handicapped (COH), an interdenominational not-for-profit organisation, was founded in 1979 by Rev Alice Shae, an American Baptist missionary who was unable to find services in Singapore for her own daughter who has an intellectual disability. As one of the early pioneers in Singapore to set up care services for people with intellectual disability, COH has contributed significantly by providing the impetus for the inception and growth of similar type organisations that care for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in our society.
Our Status 27th March 1987 Registered as a Society under Societies Act (Ref No.: 265/86Rel)
1st August 1987 Became a full member of National Council of Social Service (NCSS)
1st November 1987 Registered as a Charity under Charities Act, 1982 (Reg No.: 0521)
27th July 1993 Attained status of Institute of Public Character (IPC), which allows us to raise funds from the public
COH has never been funded by the Community Chest from the beginning. We rely heavily on donations from individuals, churches and companies to support our day-to-day operations, and to provide fee subsidies or waiver, and other assistance to our beneficiaries (clients) from disadvantaged families.
Our Milestones 1979 COH founded by Rev Alice Shae
1983 Set up Children's Activity Centre in Ang Mo Kio Social Service Centre
1987 Relocated to Seng Poh Road
1988 Started Emmanuel Activity Centre for adults with intellectual disability
1989 Relocated to Owen Road
1995 Started programme for teenagers with autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
2000 Relocated to Jalan Tembusu
2001 Started programme for adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
2002 Started programme for adults with cerebral palsy
2004 Started programme for elderly clients with intellectual disability
2005 Started Community Integration Projects with various community partners
2008 Classes which homogeneously grouped clients according to disability types were restructured into clusters made up of clients with different disability types
2008 Part of COH, including the headquarters, relocated from Jalan Tembusu to a HDB void-deck at Block 414 Tampines Street 41
2009 Remaining part of COH relocated from Jalan Tembusu to a HDB void-deck at Block 171 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh