Quotes are from The Business Times

In conjunction with its 25th anniversary, Stone Forest launched an initiative, Colour Lives II, a fund-raising effort for the underprivileged children.

Mr Chio says: "This is the second fund-raising activity under our 'Colour Lives' initiative since we relocated to the Arts Hub. Colour Lives is about colouring the lives of less-priviledged children, and its purpose was to mark our office relocation in 2009, when we urged our clients to donate to The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund (SPMF) in lieu of sending us congratulatory bouquets on our office opening." This year, we urged our staff to support Children for Children 2010, and the firm will match their donations dollar for dollar. Together, we raised $32,000"

Stone Forest chief executive Chio Kian Huat is enthusiastic. "The arts can open new horizons to young minds from economically challenged families – by building their self confidence, stimulating their sense of imagination and their appetite for learning," he says. "We believe that with imagination, a person's world is filled with possibilities, regardless of their economic background. Possibilities mean hope. Self-esteem and life skills are the greatest gift anyone can give to children from economically challenged families. They do not have access to arts education, and we support what BT-BAF is doing to level the playing field."

This article was published in The Business Times on the 1st October 2010 under the title "Colouring the lives of children".