Warm Hands of Kindness Continuing from Geumcheon-gu Hope Ondol...

Geumcheon-gu Starts 2021 Hope Ondol Warm Winter Campaign... Aiming for 1.41 Billion Won by February Next Year with Community Chest of Korea... Donation Drive from Early Stage Includes Rice, Kimchi, Duck Down Vests, Masks, and Protective Goggles

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yu Seong-hoon) started the ‘Hope Ondol Warm Winter Campaign’ on the 16th to help vulnerable residents in the area have a warm winter this year.

The Hope Ondol Warm Winter Campaign is a project supported in cooperation with the Seoul Social Welfare Community Chest to assist low-income single-parent families, elderly living alone, child heads of households, and children suffering from food insecurity, ensuring they can spend a safe and happy winter.

The district plans to carry out the Warm Winter Campaign for three months until February 15 next year, and from the start, a continuous stream of donations from the local community has been pouring in.

First, the district and the Dong Welfare Council delivered a total of 1,000 boxes of 5kg kimchi (100 boxes per Dong) to 10 Dongs from Gasan-dong starting on the 16th through the 19th.

Additionally, from the 19th to the 24th, donations were made for neighbors in need: 2,000 down padding vests worth 20 million KRW from the Presbyterian Church of Siheung, 150 walking canes worth 3 million KRW from the Seoul Daeseong Lions Club, 500 protective goggles worth 5 million KRW from FA Tech, 1,760 kg of rice worth 5.1 million KRW from Jukyung Yadok, and 25,500 kg of kimchi worth 210 million KRW from the T-Buke Social Welfare Foundation.

The district has set a fundraising goal of 1.41 billion KRW this year, placing donation boxes at the district office and Dong community centers, and installing a donation thermometer on the first floor of the district office to foster an active participation atmosphere.

In particular, starting this year, to prevent the spread of COVID-19, a non-face-to-face donation method using smartphones called ‘QR Code Fundraising’ has been introduced, allowing residents to easily participate in donations without filling out separate paperwork.

Yu Seong-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, “We are grateful for the shared hope through donations from the start of the project,” adding, “This year, due to the unprecedented crisis of COVID-19, the cold will feel even harsher for those in need. We ask for the interest and participation of many people so that vulnerable neighbors can spend a warm winter.”