Yangcheon-gu Provides Meal Support for Children at Risk of Food Insecurity During Winter Break

Active Identification and Support for Children at Risk of Food Insecurity Due to Prolonged COVID-19 with Non-Face-to-Face Classes and School Closures... Lunch Provided in the Form of Dream Tree Cards or Lunchboxes Usable at 510 General Restaurants

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Kim Soo-young) is actively identifying and supporting children eligible for meal support through local networks such as community leaders and women's associations, as well as cooperation with the education office, in response to the continuous increase in the number of children at risk of food insecurity due to non-face-to-face classes and school closures following the spread of COVID-19.

The district provides meals worth approximately 6,000 KRW per child to children from low-income families who may miss meals, including ▲children from households receiving benefits under the National Basic Livelihood Security Act ▲children from near-poverty households ▲children protected under the Single-Parent Family Support Act ▲children from households with income below 52% of the median income.

Additionally, group meals are supported for children using child welfare programs at local children's centers or social welfare centers.

Furthermore, for 150 children in middle school or younger who are deemed to require special nutritional management, lunchboxes considering appropriate nutrients are provided twice a week to support nutritional management and the formation of healthy eating habits. For other children, an electronic "Kkumnamu Card" loaded with points can be used to dine at 510 affiliated general restaurants and other locations.

As of December 2020, the number of children using the Yangcheon-gu Kkumnamu Card is 982, and the number of children using group meal services at local children's centers is 760.

In particular, due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation with school closures and non-face-to-face classes, a total of 26,740 child meals were provided over 12 months through additional school lunch support.

The concentrated application period for meal support for food-insecure children during the winter vacation is 10 days from the 7th to the 17th, but applications are accepted year-round thereafter.

Applicants should prepare necessary documents for eligibility selection such as the child meal application (recommendation) form, health insurance payment receipt, medical certificate, and employment verification, then apply online through the ‘Bokjiro’ website or at their local community service center. Since children may find it difficult to apply directly, family members, neighbors, or related persons can apply on behalf of children who need meal support.

Kim Soo-young, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu, stated, “In the ongoing situation of COVID-19 spread within the community, we plan to actively identify and support children eligible for meal support through cooperation with local community networks to ensure that no child in welfare blind spots due to care gaps at home during the winter vacation is excluded from meal support.”

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