‘Warm Winter Fundraising 4.8 Billion Won’... Seoul's Top Donation Amount is ‘Gangseo-gu’

Achieved 2.4 Times the Target Amount of 2 Billion KRW
Individual Donations Continue During Difficult Times

In Gangseo-gu, where welfare demand is high due to the largest number of welfare recipients and people with disabilities in Seoul, donations asking to be used for neighbors in even greater need than themselves have continued to pour in, breaking the record for the highest amount raised.

Gangseo-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Jin Gyo-hoon) announced on the 4th that as a result of the ‘2025 Hope Ondol Warm Winter Campaign,’ it raised 4.78 billion KRW this winter, marking the highest fundraising amount in Gangseo-gu’s history and the highest ever among Seoul’s autonomous districts.

Jin Gyo-hoon, Mayor of Gangseo District, Seoul (second from the right in the back row), is taking a commemorative photo with children at the 'Love Piggy Bank Heart Gathering' presentation ceremony held last April at the Ujang Hall of the Gangseo Community Center. Provided by Gangseo District.

The district conducted fundraising activities for three months starting from November last year. Various fundraising activities were carried out, including the ‘Donation Sharing Relay,’ where donors recommend the next donor, and ‘Collecting Love Piggy Banks’ in collaboration with daycare centers and kindergartens.

As a result, a total of 4.78 billion KRW was raised. This amount increased by about 500 million KRW compared to the previous year and exceeded the target amount of 2 billion KRW by 2.4 times. The total number of donations was 2,952, with participation from local residents as well as daycare centers, kindergartens, traditional markets, companies, and various sectors.

With so many residents’ contributions, touching stories followed one after another. One resident donated 4 million KRW, which was saved by putting aside 10,000 KRW daily after their child was born, hoping it would help low-income single-parent families. This donation has been ongoing for seven years.

An 87-year-old senior also participated in the donation. A senior who lost one leg in an accident 27 years ago and lives alone after being separated from family, despite being in need of help, donated 8 million KRW asking that it be used for neighbors in greater need than themselves. The senior has been saving basic living allowance funds and donating annually since 2018.

There were also anonymous donors who did not reveal their identities. Among them was a donor who gave 3.5 million KRW, saying it was according to the wishes of their late sister to help neighbors in need, and a resident living in a silver town who donated a large check of 20 million KRW to the donation box.

The goodwill of little hands was also added warmth, with children donating piggy banks they had carefully saved. The district entrusts the collected donations and goods to the Seoul Community Chest of Korea and supports low-income vulnerable groups in the region according to the donors’ wishes.

District Mayor Jin Gyo-hoon said, “This winter, which was more difficult than ever due to unprecedented cold waves and economic recession, the residents of Gangseo-gu achieved an amazingly beautiful miracle,” and added, “We will create a ‘Gangseo-gu where everyone lives well together’ through district administration that carefully watches over whether there are neighbors in need around us, just like our residents.”

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