HONG KONG, Nov. 29 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- ING and the Saint Barnabas'
Society and Home today announces the inaugural "Walk for the Homeless" which
circumnavigates Victoria Peak in Hong Kong to raise money for Hong Kong's
homeless.
    The walk, of which ING is the presenting sponsor, saw ING employees from
all Hong Kong businesses and their family members join around 200 other
walkers to support the event, raising a total of HK$200,000.
    At the opening ceremony to start the walk, Christine Fang, Chief Executive
of the Hong Kong Council for Social Services stated, "Hong Kong's homeless, of
which many are old or mentally-ill, desperately need the valuable support that
St. Barnabas' Society and Home provides.  This annual walk will not only raise
essential funds, but also remind us of the homeless people in Hong Kong that
otherwise would have little support.  ING's involvement is a great example of
how companies in Hong Kong can support the local community, and I hope the
partnership will continue to grow in success."
    Jean-Francois Gillard, Country Manager for China and General Manager for
Hong Kong, ING Bank, stated, "ING is committed to being a good corporate
citizen in all the communities in which we have a presence.  In helping Hong
Kong's homeless, ING hopes to support a section of the society that has little
means of assistance.  We are delighted to be part of this project."
    ING has supported the St. Barnabas' Society and Home since 2002.  The
company intends to continue to support the charity through other activities
and volunteer programmes it organises.
    ING is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking,
insurance and asset management to over 60 million private, corporate and
institutional clients in 50 countries.  With a diverse workforce of over
112,000 people, ING comprises a broad spectrum of prominent companies that
increasingly serve their clients under the ING brand.
    St Barnabas's Society and Home (SBSH) is a small Christian charity
organisation, registered in Hong Kong and dedicated to serving the homeless
and poor.  Its mission is to follow the teaching of Jesus Christ to love and
care for the homeless and poor, the sick and distressed by reaching out to
them and providing them both material and spiritual aid.  Hundreds of street
sleepers and many poor people have been helped by SBSH since the organisation
was established in 1987.  In particular, many of those helped include drug
addicts, alcoholics, people with mental problems, ex-gamblers, people who have
attempted suicide, businessmen who lost their businesses, and the
broken-hearted.  Since 1991, the Hong Kong Government has leased to SBSH the
land and the building at Kennedy Town at a nominal rent to support its work.
In the future, SBSH will continue to pursue its mission, while helping to
raise public awareness for the homeless and poor in Hong Kong.

    Press enquiries: ING

     Sheel Kohli
     Tel:   +852 2913 8768
     Email: sheel.kohli@asia.ing.com

     Karen Williams
     Tel:   +852 2913 8536
     Email: karen.williams@asia.ing.com

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