Seongbuk-dong Deoksu Church and Haneulieum Church Warmhearted Acts to Overcome COVID-19

Donated a total of 5 million KRW, 500,000 KRW each to 10 low-income and self-employed households suddenly struggling due to COVID-19... Supported 25 households including youth with coal delivery, home repairs, food packages, and gift certificates

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] In these tiring and difficult times due to COVID-19, there are those who continuously extend helping hands to people facing hardships, encouraging everyone to overcome together.

The main protagonists are ‘Deoksu Church’ and ‘Haneulieum Church’ located in Seongbuk-dong, Seongbuk-gu.

On the 20th of last month, Deoksu Church (Senior Pastor Kim Man-jun) provided a total of 5 million KRW, giving 500,000 KRW each to 10 households to support living expenses for low-income families and monthly rent for self-employed individuals who suddenly faced financial difficulties due to COVID-19.

This emergency living expense support by Deoksu Church is not the first time; in the first half of this year, they provided support twice, and once in the second half (September), totaling four times, supporting 40 households with 20 million KRW for families and self-employed individuals struggling due to COVID-19.

The recipient households were recommended by welfare planners at the local community center who directly identified, counseled, and visited welfare blind spots, recommending families whose lives became more difficult due to COVID-19.

Deoksu Church also delivered a total of 1,300 briquettes (worth about 1.4 million KRW) to three low-income households in preparation for winter, installed heating mats, and performed draft-proofing work and other winter preparation home repair volunteer services for three elderly single-person households, helping Seongbuk-dong residents have a warm winter.

Haneulieum Church (Senior Pastor Lee Sang-il) received recommendations for low-income households from the Seongbuk-dong Community Center between the 13th and 27th of last month and delivered 10,000 KRW Shinsegae gift certificates and food packages contactlessly to a total of 25 households (worth about 3.75 million KRW).

Among the recipients this time, it is especially meaningful that 10 youth households struggling with employment due to COVID-19 were included. One youth household who received the package said, “It was really hard to live without income due to COVID-19, but the church’s small interest became a great hope, and it made me think I must live diligently.”

The church’s package support began in March this year, starting with elderly single-person households who had difficulty going out and preparing meals due to COVID-19. Over five rounds every one to two months, they delivered a total of 70 food packages (70 boxes) to 70 households. Church volunteers purchased and packed the packages as if preparing food for their own families and delivered them contactlessly right to the recipients’ doors.

Lee Seung-ro, the district mayor, expressed his gratitude, saying, “Although this is a difficult time for everyone due to COVID-19, especially in the cold and harsh winter season, I thank you for taking the lead in practicing sharing with the marginalized and struggling neighbors in the community. As the district mayor, I will work hard to help Seongbuk-gu overcome the COVID-19 crisis well.”

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