Yongsan-gu, Emergency Package Support for Vulnerable Groups Receives Positive "Likes"~~~

Former Food Bank Market Center users, residents with disabilities, and vulnerable households to receive masks, rice, ramen, etc., within a monthly limit of 40,000 to 50,000 KRW per household... Applications accepted at local community service centers

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] “These days, I haven’t been able to work, so I’m short on living expenses and very worried, but I’m relieved to be able to receive daily necessities like this.”

This is the story of Lee Young-gi (pseudonym, 42), a resident of Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu.

Yongsan-gu (District Mayor Seong Jang-hyun) is receiving positive responses from residents for its emergency package support project for vulnerable groups, implemented in response to COVID-19.

The service targets existing users of the district’s Food Bank Market Center, people with disabilities, and households in crisis.

By submitting an application to the local community service center, the district reviews it and provides a package of daily necessities. Within a monthly limit of 40,000 to 50,000 KRW per household, recipients can select desired items such as masks, rice, and ramen. The district also delivers the packages directly. This is a non-face-to-face service.

On the 25th of last month, the district closed about 70% of multi-use facilities, including the Food Bank Market Center. The emergency package support project is one of the district’s measures to minimize the side effects of this closure.

Song Jae-woo, team leader of the Food Bank Market Center, said, “Not only existing center users but also residents urgently in need of help are encouraged to apply for package support through their local community service centers.”

The Food Bank Market Center acts as a hub by receiving donations of food and daily necessities from individuals, companies, and organizations and delivering them to those in need.

As of March, 750 residents use the center. Once the COVID-19 situation ends, the district plans to attract interest from residents and companies through various activities such as operating a monthly ‘Food Sharing Day,’ charity concerts, free movie viewing events, and installing ‘Tonghana’ donation boxes for holidays.

Those wishing to donate food or other items can contact the center at ☎703-0129. The center is located at 345 Hangang-daero, Yongsan-gu, occupying 195㎡ across basement level 1 and three floors above ground.

Seong Jang-hyun, Mayor of Yongsan-gu, said, “The district is carefully monitoring to ensure residents do not suffer due to COVID-19,” and added, “Please continue to practice social distancing until the situation is resolved.”

Recently, the district has also been distributing 340 daily necessity kits created by the Yongsan Welfare Foundation to vulnerable groups, low-income households, emergency support counseling households, and self-quarantined families. Each kit contains 12 items, including three KF masks, hand sanitizer, wet wipes, and ramen.

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