Cheongyang County Expands "Free Meal Service for Senior Centers" Using Hometown Love Fund

Expansion to 50 Senior Centers for Local Residents
Promoting Community Coexistence with Healthy Meals Featuring Local Food

Cheongyang County in South Chungcheong Province is set to significantly expand its "Free Meal Service for Senior Centers" initiative to promote healthy eating habits among seniors and strengthen community welfare.

The county will use 52 million won from the Hometown Love Fund to provide free meals at 50 senior centers in the area, drawing attention with its "One Meal Care" model that utilizes local agricultural products.

On November 11, Cheongyang County announced that it will expand the pilot "Free Meal Service for Senior Centers," which was trialed at 10 locations last June, to 50 senior centers with fewer than 20 users each, starting from November 18.

This project is being implemented using the approximately 52 million won raised through the designated donation program "A Meal Together for Local Seniors" under the Hometown Love Donation system.

The county verified on-site satisfaction and the effectiveness of the pilot program, and based on positive evaluations-particularly regarding community recovery and enhanced senior care functions-decided to fully expand the initiative.

The "Free Meal Service for Senior Centers" is operated by providing semi-prepared and fully prepared side dishes for lunch once a week, taking into account the shortage of kitchen staff in rural areas.

The meals provided consist of a high-protein, low-sodium menu with one main dish and four side dishes, helping seniors easily enjoy nutritionally balanced meals.

In particular, the program actively uses local food produced in Cheongyang, which not only ensures the freshness of seasonal produce but also helps increase the income of local farmers.

Since 2020, the county has also operated the "Public Meal Service for Senior Centers," which provides food ingredient packages once a week at 90 locations, with plans to expand this to 150 centers. In collaboration with the Regional Revitalization Foundation, the program also contributes to boosting local agricultural consumption and revitalizing the local economy.

County Governor Kim Dongon stated, "We will reflect the voices from the field to provide higher-quality meal services and make senior centers a hub for community communication," adding, "The free meal service will go beyond simple meal support to become a welfare community model where the region cares and shares together."

Meanwhile, Cheongyang County is advancing a rural-tailored care system through the "Cheongyang-Style Multi-Care" system, which includes food care, daily life care, family care, health care, village care, and mobility care.

In addition, the county is working to overcome the limitations of public care and accelerate the establishment of a comprehensive local care network that spans all generations.

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