Jinju-si, Health Lunchbox Support Project for Children of Vulnerable Groups and Dual-Income Families

Significant Increase in Dispute Burden Rate from 40% Last Year to 62.3%, Supporting Over 1,800 People

High Satisfaction with Programs for Vulnerable Groups and Children of Dual-Income Families

An after-school care classroom scene in the Jinju area.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Jinju City, Gyeongnam Province, is implementing the ‘Our Children’s Healthy Lunchbox Support Project’ again this year, following last year, to provide lunchboxes during school vacations for elementary after-school care classrooms used by children from vulnerable groups and dual-income families.

The ‘Our Children’s Healthy Lunchbox Support Project’ is a program supported by Gyeongnam Province and the Office of Education with a budget of 648 million KRW, providing healthy lunchboxes for 60 days annually during vacation periods to elementary students using after-school care classrooms.

The city has significantly increased its share of the budget from 40% last year to 62.3%. Starting from the 14th, when the spring vacation begins, lunchboxes will be provided to about 1,800 elementary students using after-school care classrooms in 44 elementary schools within the city.

This project reduces the childcare burden on vulnerable groups and dual-income families who need to prepare lunch for their children using after-school care classrooms during vacations. It also contributes to the health improvement of growing children and received positive evaluations from parents and related personnel in last year’s satisfaction survey.

Additionally, amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic causing a decline in local agricultural product consumption and farmers’ income, the project promotes the consumption of local agricultural products by using them in the lunchboxes.

To ensure hygienic and safe lunchbox support, the city selected excellent food companies in Jinju City through a public contest. These companies have obtained HACCP certification, which manages all processes from the production stage of food raw materials through manufacturing and distribution to the final consumer.

To prevent food accidents and supply high-quality lunchboxes, the city also guided and inspected the supplier’s kitchen facilities, equipment, hygiene status, hygiene management and education of workers, storage and quality status of ingredients, and lunchbox delivery management, as well as the overall facility management and operation status.

A city official stated, “We will ensure that high-quality healthy lunchboxes are supplied without any disruption to promote the health of children from vulnerable groups and dual-income families.”

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