Link Together Initiatives, Link Asset Management Limited’s (Link) flagship charity and community engagement programme is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Established in 2013, the programme has supported innovative and impactful projects with focus on youth empowerment, inclusion and active ageing, and environmental sustainability over the past 10 years, and has witnessed the growth of its partners while promoting sustainable development in the community. To date, Link Together Initiatives has donated a total of $140 million to support 180 community projects alongside 84 non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and award 1,600 scholarships, extending significant positive social impact to a total of 16 million individuals across all 18 districts of Hong Kong.

In celebration of the tenth anniversary of Link Together Initiatives, Link organised Collab Fest, which serves as a platform for charitable organisations, social enterprises, and social innovators to explore collaborative solutions together. The event encourages groups from different sectors to leverage each other’s expertise, resources, and creativity to collectively develop youth empowerment projects and create greater value for the community. Out of the project proposals submitted, five were invited to present their ideas to a panel of judges and the public at Pitching Day, which took place at Link Sustainability Lab on 21 October. The winning collaborative project “Draw Your Own Legend” by Hong Kong Student Aid Society, StartChing Limited, and Rolling Books Limited came out top in total score given by the panel of judges, and was awarded $100,000.

Link Chairman Nicholas Allen said, “As a daily companion for the people of Hong Kong, Link has collaborated with various partners and stakeholders over the past decade transforming the communities that we serve. Through Link Together Initiatives, we have powered many innovative projects to further their impact by leveraging Link’s strong property network, while enabling ourselves to respond to the ever-changing needs of the community. We are grateful for the trust placed in us by our partners and stakeholders over the years, and we look forward to continuing being a partner in growth and work together to build better communities in the future. Congratulations to the winning team of Collab Fest and I wish them great success in moving our youth up the social ladder.”

The impact created from Link Together Initiatives goes beyond project beneficiaries, reaching also like-minded individuals and organisations that strive to achieve common goals, fostering collective growth in society. Established in 2015, Link University Scholarship, Link’s signature youth empowerment programme aims to reduce barriers to education by providing non-means-tested scholarships to Hong Kong students who are outstanding, from the first generation in their families to attend local universities and have demonstrated a strong commitment to community service. Since its establishment, the programme has granted a total of $32 million in 1,600 scholarship opportunities. Scholarship recipients are part of the Link Scholars Alumni, which offers various social activities, community service opportunities, and on-the-job training, helping students broaden their horizons and enrich their university experience.

Chua Hoi-wai, Chief Executive of The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS), said, “The Hong Kong Council of Social Service appreciates Link's efforts and commitment to community involvement over the past ten years. As a close partner of the Link Together Initiatives, we have witnessed the positive and far-reaching impact that Link has brought to the lives of many needy groups in Hong Kong by proactively engaging stakeholders from different sectors of society since the inception of the Initiatives. The Collab Fest is another important milestone in fostering cross-sector collaboration as it reveals the potential for greater impact through collaboration. We look forward to working with Link to continue to play an important role in promoting social innovation and enhancing the well-being of Hong Kong people.”

Link is committed to building close partnerships with charitable organisations and NGOs. It is firmly believed that only through collaboration with all parties involved, and encouraging active participation from other stakeholders, can the impact of collaborative projects be expanded. Leveraging its extensive community network, Link can facilitate direct interaction between its partners and the target audience, thereby bringing long-term and sustainable benefits to the communities.

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About Link

Link Real Estate Investment Trust (Hong Kong stock code: 823) is the largest REIT in Asia by market capitalisation. It is managed by Link Asset Management Limited, a leading real estate investor and asset manager in the world. Since its listing in 2005 as the first REIT in Hong Kong, Link REIT has been 100% held by public and institutional investors. It is a constituent of the Hong Kong securities market benchmark Hang Seng Index, as well as a component of the Dow Jones Sustainability Asia Pacific Index, the FTSE4Good Index Series and the Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Index. From its home in Hong Kong, Link Asset Management Limited owns and manages a diversified portfolio including retail facilities, car parks, offices and logistics assets spanning from China’s Beijing, Greater Bay Area (Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen), and Yangtze River Delta centred around Shanghai, to Singapore, Australia’s Sydney and Melbourne and the UK’s London. Link Asset Management Limited seeks to extend its portfolio growth trajectory and grasp expansion opportunities in different markets in pursuit of sustainable growth.

For details, please visit https://www.linkreit.com.