1942年日本军占领新加坡，当地潮人善堂的发展进入一个转捩点。当时由于受到战乱的冲击，商业停顿，物质缺乏，医药卫生设备不足，失业流民人数大增，老 弱残疾、饥饿病亡则日众，不计其数的贫民死后无人收殓。在日军的军阀统治下，几乎所有民间社团都被禁止一切活动，唯允许属于慈善机构的善堂组织继续运作。 潮人善堂的服务对象原来多为与之有血缘与地缘关系的潮人社群，但基于非常时期的需要，当时修德、同奉、普救、同敬以及南安五间善堂遂联合组成“新加坡中华 善堂蓝十救济总会”，简称“蓝十字总会”，采用“蓝十字”为会徽，在当时的潮州八邑会馆内设立办事处，负起救伤恤贫的社会救援任务，为各族居民施 医赠药、账济茶粥衣物、收尸义殓。当时，日本军政府还特别允许善堂堂员“豁免奉侍队工作及其他服役”，于是，许多居民纷纷申请加入善堂，以至当时 五间善堂的堂员人数骤增至三千余名之多自此，新加坡潮人善堂的救济和恤难的善举，再也不分种
族、籍贯和宗教，潮人善堂的传统功能跨越了地缘的门 槛界限，走进广大社会，扩大了社会功能和使命，也深受其他社群的认同。殆至1960至1980年代，又有另五所善堂，即同德、报德、南风、众弘与崇峰，加 入“蓝十总会”。
善堂的慈善活动传统上皆分为二部分：一部分是“救济部”，办理施医赠药、施殓施棺、救贫济困、养老育婴、发埋孤骨、敬惜纸字及兴办义学等；另一部分便 是“经生部”，负责礼颂佛经、超渡孤魂等。此外，许多善堂也为堂员提供安奉长生禄位和先人神主牌以及灵骨灰瓮的场所，定时享祭。值得称誉的是，今 天潮人善堂在社会福利方面，为配合国家繁荣，社会安定下的不同需求，已不再局限于传统施赠物资的救济方式，而是设立了安老院、乐龄护理中心、洗肾中心、社 区施诊所、为各族人士提供援助。它们也筹募教育基金，定期捐献其他慈善团体和文教机构，设立奖助学金。此外，各大善堂也经常组团访问中国潮汕及东南亚各地 的善堂，相互交流，并资助它们的建设与活动。事实上，为了适应社会的发展和争取生存空间，善堂已由一个宗教与慈善组织，主动或被动地被纳入社区中的一个不 分种族、宗教、语言和社会阶层的福利团体，善堂的慈善功能也更为广泛和多元化。
Blue Cross Charitable Institution (BCCI) was established in 1942 during Japanese Occupation of Singapore in World War II following the fall of the British colony on 15 February 1942. During war, resources were scarce; economic activities were put on halt, there were inadequate medical and health services, increased in homeless, unemployment, diseases and death and the streets were littered with corpses. Nearly all organizations and associations were prohibited during such chaotic condition. Only BCCI, which was make up of five temples then, were allow to continue its operation to help provide shelter, food and care for people in need and burial services for unclaimed bodies. Since then, BCCI took community and social services as its mission. Over the years, BCCI membership grew as more temples organizations joined. Today, BCCI is made up of 10 temples, namely; Phoh jiu Siang T’ng（普救善堂），Seu Teck Sean Tong Yiang Sin Sia（修德善堂养心社）， Thong Kheng Charitable Institution（同敬善堂诚善社），Nanyang Thong Hong Siang T’ng（南洋同奉善堂），Nam Ann Siang Theon（南安善堂），Thong Tec Sian Tong Lian Sin Sia（同德善堂念心社）, Poh Teck Siang T’ng（报德善堂），Nam Hong Siang Theon（南凤善堂），Singapore Cheng Hong (Siang Tng) Charitable Organization（新加坡众弘善堂），and Singapore Chung Hong Siang T’ng（新加坡宗峰善堂）. BCCI continued its role in community and social services even after the war by providing free medical services, regular free meals for the community each temple reside in and free clothing and household supplies to the less fortunate. While the problems of the post war years were different, the priority of meeting basic needs was no different even with peaceful times. Presently, BCCI manage a welfare home – Jenaris Home@Pelangi Village – a psychiatric and destitute Long Term Care Facility funded by Ministry of Social & Family. The Home began its operation in 2002 with the capacity of 250 beds for psychiatric destitute person admitted by Ministry of Social & Family. The purpose of the Home is to provide shelter, care and rehabilitation for the residents with the aims of cultivating independent and confident in self-management and to reintegrate the residents back into the community.
