Betty Chen is the life patron of the Chinese Women’s Association, the oldest women’s association in Singapore where she served as president for 26 years until 2016. During her tenure, she led the association to raise millions of dollars for organisations and social causes, including the Jurong Dementia Prevention Programme, National Museum Singapore, St Andrew’s Mission Hospital and NTUC Eldercare.

Under her leadership, the CWA also reached a milestone 100 years of service in 2015, which it celebrated with a gala at Raffles Hotel Singapore that was attended by then-president Tony Tan Keng Yam and his wife, Mary. Chen is also the patron emeritus of nursing residence Henderson Home.