Gwangmyeong City Launches 'Virtuous Cycle of Welfare' with Hometown Love Fund... Implements Three Core Projects

Gwangmyeong City in Gyeonggi Province will officially launch its "Three Major Hometown Love Fund Projects," using funds raised through the Hometown Love Donation Program to bring tangible changes to citizens' lives. This initiative goes beyond simple cash support, focusing on creating a virtuous cycle by revitalizing the local community and addressing welfare blind spots.

On April 22, Gwangmyeong City announced that it will invest 50 million won from the fund to implement a total of three projects: ▲ Community-Based Citizen Learning Support ▲ Support for Youth and Adolescents with Family Care Responsibilities ▲ Support for Middle-Aged Single-Person Households.

A panoramic view of Gwangmyeong City Hall. Provided by Gwangmyeong City

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The community-based citizen learning support project, "Shining Gwangmyeong Road," is a participatory program where Gwangmyeong citizens directly plan and operate experiential programs utilizing local assets, thereby practicing the communalization of local resources.

Notably, 15 citizens who graduated from the Gwangmyeong Autonomous University last year participated in developing these programs, which is significant as it enables the creation of Gwangmyeong-specific educational content from the citizens' perspective. The developed programs will be offered to 120 residents living in apartment complexes.

After completion of development in June, the programs will recruit participants in two categories: "Public Learning Type," which involves tours of public facilities such as the Lifelong Learning Center, the Life Plus Center, and the Upcycle Center; and "Ecological Learning Type," which offers experiences with natural assets such as Dodeoksan Mountain, Anyangcheon Stream, Anteo Ecological Park, and Saebit Park.

These participatory programs, with their focus on public and ecological themes, are expected to present a new learning model that enhances understanding of local assets and expands community spirit.

This project is especially noteworthy as it is the outcome of public-private collaboration. The "Public-Private Agenda Promotion Group," consisting of 10 members including local activists, fundraising experts, and public officials, spent four months deliberating since October last year to propose the project. It was then selected as a Hometown Love Fund project after review by the Fund Operation Deliberation Committee.

Through the "Tell Your Wish to Gwangmyeong Friends" initiative, 20 youths and adolescents with family care responsibilities will receive their desired items, such as learning materials, home appliances, and medical devices, worth up to 1 million won per person.

This project aims to ease the care burden for youths and adolescents responsible for family care due to factors such as parental illness, disability, unemployment, or absence, and to support their stable growth and independence.

In particular, the project has adopted a "wish-based support system," moving away from conventional cash or service provision, allowing recipients to apply for the items or support they need. This enables practical support tailored to individual circumstances and needs.

Recipients will be provided with various items they require, such as digital devices including laptops and tablet PCs for learning and self-development, bicycles, home appliances, items to improve living environments, and medical devices.

The third project, "Golden Lunchbox," provides 100,000 won in Gwangmyeong Love Currency (local currency) to 292 economically vulnerable middle-aged single-person households, enabling them to purchase food and daily necessities.

The goal is to promote the stability of middle-aged single-person households and to vitalize local small businesses through increased local consumption-achieving a win-win effect.

While single-person households aged 65 and older receive various support through senior welfare policies, support for middle-aged single-person households aged 40 to 64 is insufficient, leaving them in a relative welfare blind spot. To address this, the project was launched last year.

After the Gwangmyeong Branch of the Korean Red Cross was established in October 2024-the first at the city and county level nationwide-this project became the first public-private collaboration between Gwangmyeong City and the Red Cross. It combines the Hometown Love Fund with donations from the Red Cross.

On March 30, 100 recipients received support, and an additional 192 will be supported in the second half of the year.

Choi Hyemin, Acting Mayor (Deputy Mayor) of Gwangmyeong City, stated, "The Hometown Love Fund is a valuable resource created from the collective support for the community, so we will implement these projects thoroughly to genuinely contribute to local growth and recovery. We will proactively use the fund in areas closely linked to citizens' lives to bring about meaningful and tangible change."

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