Yeongdeungpo-gu, Food Bank Service 'Visiting Vulnerable Groups'

Starting from the 16th, hand sanitizers and food packages worth 30,000 KRW will be directly delivered to vulnerable groups... After a demand survey for registered members, necessary items will be delivered to households requesting visits

Food bank and market officials visiting vulnerable households to deliver items contactlessly and notify them by phone afterward

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Yeongdeungpo-gu (District Mayor Chae Hyun-il) is launching a ‘Visiting Food Bank & Market’ service to support vulnerable groups facing difficulties due to COVID-19, aiming to eliminate welfare blind spots.

The district, in partnership with the Yeongdeungpo Sarang Nanum Food Bank & Market, which is commissioned and operated by the Yeongdeungpo-gu Social Welfare Council, will start delivering hand sanitizers and food packages, which are COVID-19 prevention supplies, directly to homes from the 16th.

Previously, vulnerable residents registered as members of the Food Bank & Market visited the store in person to collect needed items. However, to assist elderly people with mobility difficulties and users reluctant to visit the Food Market due to concerns about COVID-19 infection, the ‘Visiting Food Bank & Market’ service has been introduced.

The district first conducts a phone survey with registered members to assess visit and item needs, then visits households wishing to participate and delivers food packages worth approximately 30,000 KRW, consisting of groceries and daily necessities tailored to their requested items.

Food Bank & Market staff and volunteers notify the target households in advance for infection prevention and deliver the packages in a non-face-to-face manner by designating a separate storage location such as the front door.

To complement the non-face-to-face visits, the district confirms the well-being and safety of recipients via phone calls and delivers hand sanitizers donated from various sectors along with the food packages to protect the health and safety of vulnerable groups.

Currently, the district operates three Sarang Nanum Food Bank & Market locations: the 2nd branch in Singil 1-dong, the 1st branch in the district office annex, and the 3rd branch in Singil 6-dong.

Through these locations, the district provides free monthly food and daily necessities once a month to about 800 low-income individuals, including emergency support recipients, near-poverty groups, and basic livelihood security recipients.

In 2019, the district also received donations of groceries and daily necessities worth approximately 1.2 billion KRW from generous individuals and companies, delivering warmth to neighbors in need visiting the Food Bank & Market.

Since early February, at the start of the COVID-19 crisis, the district has produced and supported 30,000 infection prevention kits for vulnerable groups. From the 12th, it has been delivering 950 ‘Open Heart Boxes’ containing hygiene products and groceries to 950 vulnerable households, striving to prevent COVID-19 and support livelihoods.

Chae Hyun-il, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, stated, “We have started the ‘Visiting Food Bank & Market’ service to be the hands and feet for vulnerable groups struggling due to COVID-19. We will work hard to support vulnerable groups and create a better Yeongdeungpo where everyone can live together.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.