{"id":1624,"date":"2024-09-04T12:38:40","date_gmt":"2024-09-04T04:38:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/branchesofhope.org.hk\/?page_id=1624"},"modified":"2026-01-21T11:28:28","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T03:28:28","slug":"become-a-star","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/become-a-star\/","title":{"rendered":"Become a STAR"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2>Support Trust for Accommodation of Refugees (STAR) programme<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"341\" src=\"https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Website-Banner-9-1024x341.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1626\" style=\"width:842px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Website-Banner-9-1024x341.png 1024w, https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Website-Banner-9-300x100.png 300w, https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Website-Banner-9-768x256.png 768w, https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Website-Banner-9-1536x512.png 1536w, https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Website-Banner-9.png 1875w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"OYPEnA font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">The Support Trust for Accommodation of Refugees (STAR) is Branches of Hope\u2019s new monthly finacial support programme, providing aid to our refugee and asylum seeker community from January 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"OYPEnA font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Objectives of the STAR programme:<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"OYPEnA font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Reduce the financial burden of recipients by providing financial support for their rent and utilities bills<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"OYPEnA font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Empower recipients to make their own decisions on how to spend the remaining financial resources<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span class=\"OYPEnA font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Since its inception, Branches of Hope has always been providing financial assistance to vulnerable communities in Hong Kong. Since 2018, this was achieved through the Secret Angel programme, which allowed donors to directly support members of the refugee and asylum seeker community, with 100% of donated funds going to community members. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"OYPEnA font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">The STAR Programme will continue this core service of Branches of Hope when it starts in January 2025, bringing with it a number of administrative and structural improvements to our past support programme.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Discover more about the STAR Programme:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1JD4CDl8Qq5LpyAXwX6B_fmTYe6wchiNr\/view?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">STAR Programme Info Pack<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>BECOME A STAR<\/h2>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"OYPEnA font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">The STAR Programme exists to bridge the gap between government-provided financial assistance and the actual costs of living faced by the refugee and asylum seeker community in Hong Kong.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"OYPEnA font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Despite year-on-year inflation of 2.44% annually since 2015, the subsidies amount provided by the International Social Services(ISS) has not changed since 2014.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/2024-BOH-School-Talk-deck-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1629\" srcset=\"https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/2024-BOH-School-Talk-deck-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/2024-BOH-School-Talk-deck-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/2024-BOH-School-Talk-deck-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/2024-BOH-School-Talk-deck-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/2024-BOH-School-Talk-deck.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\">Families receiving financial support from Branches of Hope are free to <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW175681398 BCX0\">utilise<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\"> the funds <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TrackedChange SCXW175681398 BCX0\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\">as they <\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"TrackedChange SCXW175681398 BCX0\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\">deem<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"TrackedChange SCXW175681398 BCX0\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\"> necessary<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\" lang=\"ZH-TW\" xml:lang=\"ZH-TW\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\">, <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\">&nbsp;with <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\">a large proportion<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\"> of beneficiaries <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\">allocating<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\"> their funds to support<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\"> rent costs<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\" lang=\"ZH-TW\" xml:lang=\"ZH-TW\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\">. <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\">Others<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\"> also <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\">frequently<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"TextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW175681398 BCX0\">utilised<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\"> the <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW175681398 BCX0\">fund<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\"> for transportation, <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\">school <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TrackChangeTextDeletionMarker TrackedChange SCXW175681398 BCX0\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\" lang=\"ZH-TW\" xml:lang=\"ZH-TW\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun TrackChangeTextDeletion SCXW175681398 BCX0\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\">supplies<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\">, clothes, and <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\">various everyday necessities<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\" lang=\"ZH-TW\" xml:lang=\"ZH-TW\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW175681398 BCX0\">. <\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW175681398 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:4,&quot;335559731&quot;:16,&quot;335559737&quot;:118,&quot;335559740&quot;:281,&quot;335572071&quot;:0,&quot;335572072&quot;:0,&quot;335572073&quot;:0,&quot;335572075&quot;:0,&quot;335572076&quot;:0,&quot;335572077&quot;:0,&quot;335572079&quot;:0,&quot;335572080&quot;:0,&quot;335572081&quot;:0,&quot;335572083&quot;:0,&quot;335572084&quot;:0,&quot;335572085&quot;:0,&quot;335572087&quot;:0,&quot;335572088&quot;:0,&quot;335572089&quot;:0,&quot;469789798&quot;:&quot;nil&quot;,&quot;469789802&quot;:&quot;nil&quot;,&quot;469789806&quot;:&quot;nil&quot;,&quot;469789810&quot;:&quot;nil&quot;,&quot;469789814&quot;:&quot;nil&quot;}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW121872755 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW121872755 BCX0\">Empowering beneficiaries with unallocated financial support offers significant mental health benefits, especially given the <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW121872755 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW121872755 BCX0\">rigid <\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW121872755 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW121872755 BCX0\">restrictions on existing government subsidies. In Hong Kong, refugees and asylum seekers are not <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW121872755 BCX0\">permitted<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW121872755 BCX0\"> to work or volunteer, making it especially valuable for them to have <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW121872755 BCX0\">the decision-making power<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW121872755 BCX0\"> over how t<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW121872755 BCX0\">o<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"TextRun SCXW121872755 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW121872755 BCX0\">use<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW121872755 BCX0\"> financial <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW121872755 BCX0\">assistance<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW121872755 BCX0\"> from the STAR <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW121872755 BCX0\">programme<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW121872755 BCX0\">. This autonomy enables them to better care for their families and fosters a sense of dignity and control in their lives.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW121872755 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:2,&quot;335559737&quot;:31,&quot;335559738&quot;:177,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:282,&quot;335559991&quot;:1,&quot;335572071&quot;:0,&quot;335572072&quot;:0,&quot;335572073&quot;:0,&quot;335572075&quot;:0,&quot;335572076&quot;:0,&quot;335572077&quot;:0,&quot;335572079&quot;:0,&quot;335572080&quot;:0,&quot;335572081&quot;:0,&quot;335572083&quot;:0,&quot;335572084&quot;:0,&quot;335572085&quot;:0,&quot;335572087&quot;:0,&quot;335572088&quot;:0,&quot;335572089&quot;:0,&quot;469789798&quot;:&quot;nil&quot;,&quot;469789802&quot;:&quot;nil&quot;,&quot;469789806&quot;:&quot;nil&quot;,&quot;469789810&quot;:&quot;nil&quot;,&quot;469789814&quot;:&quot;nil&quot;}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Please consider to Join our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/donations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Monthly Donation<\/a>, <span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW44367979 BCX0\">enable us to <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW44367979 BCX0\">continue to <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW44367979 BCX0\">support the community.<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"341\" src=\"https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Website-Banner-10-1024x341.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Website-Banner-10-1024x341.png 1024w, https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Website-Banner-10-300x100.png 300w, https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Website-Banner-10-768x256.png 768w, https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Website-Banner-10-1536x512.png 1536w, https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Website-Banner-10.png 1875w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2>SUPPORT LEVEL<\/h2>\n<p>The support level is based on the number of people in the households, starting at HK$500\/month for single person households, then extra HK$500\/month for 1 extra family member <span class=\"TextRun SCXW109470135 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW109470135 BCX0\">with the ceiling of HK$2500<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW109470135 BCX0\" lang=\"ZH-TW\" xml:lang=\"ZH-TW\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW109470135 BCX0\">:\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.8826%; height: 408px;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"height: 68px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 46.9851%; height: 68px;\">\n<p><strong>No. of people in the household<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 54.4533%; height: 68px;\">\n<p><strong>Monthly assistance amount (HK$)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 68px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 46.9851%; height: 68px;\">\n<p>1<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 54.4533%; height: 68px;\">\n<p>500<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 68px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 46.9851%; height: 68px;\">\n<p>2<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 54.4533%; height: 68px;\">\n<p>1000<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 68px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 46.9851%; height: 68px;\">\n<p>3<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 54.4533%; height: 68px;\">\n<p>1,500<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 68px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 46.9851%; height: 68px;\">\n<p>4<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 54.4533%; height: 68px;\">\n<p>2,000<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 68px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 46.9851%; height: 68px;\">\n<p>5<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 54.4533%; height: 68px;\">\n<p>2,500<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Support Trust for Accommodation of Refugees (STAR) programme The Support Trust for Accommodation of Refugees (STAR) is Branches of Hope\u2019s new monthly finacial support programme, providing aid to our refugee and asylum seeker community from January 2025. &nbsp; Objectives of the STAR programme: Reduce the financial burden of recipients by providing financial support for their [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1631,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-defaultwithbanner.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1624","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1624","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1624"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1624\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1631"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/preview-php85.dzine.org\/BOH\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1624"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}