From November 15 last year to February 14 this year, 2.05 billion KRW worth of donations and goods were collected
Since the early stages of the project, a continuous stream of community donations including kimchi, rice, and ramen has been received
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yu Seong-hoon) announced that the fundraising results for the ‘2023 Hope Ondol Warm Winter Campaign’ exceeded the initially planned target.
The ‘Hope Ondol Warm Winter Campaign’ is a representative winter neighbor-helping project promoted through public-private cooperation by the 25 autonomous districts of Seoul and the Seoul Social Welfare Community Chest. Donations are intensively collected every year from November to February of the following year, and the funds and goods raised during this period are used throughout the year to support low-income residents and vulnerable groups in the community.
Geumcheon-gu collected a total of 2.05 billion KRW from November 15 last year to February 14 this year, including 427 million KRW in cash donations and 1.623 billion KRW in goods. This amount corresponds to 109% of the original target of 1.875 billion KRW.
Despite the difficult economic situation caused by COVID-19, the global economic crisis, and rising prices, donors from all walks of life including individuals, organizations, and companies have united in delivering warm hearts through cash and goods donations.
At the beginning of the project, more than 73,000 kg of kimchi, the most needed item during winter, was sponsored by Siheung Church, Jukyung Yadok, the 11th Alumni Association of Tapdong Elementary School, and the Geumcheon-gu Buddhist Temple Association, and delivered to about 7,000 low-income households including the elderly and disabled.
Other donations collected during the period, including cash, rice, ramen, and clothing, were entrusted to the Seoul Social Welfare Community Chest and will be used to support low-income residents and those in welfare blind spots in Geumcheon-gu.
Yu Seong-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, “Despite the difficult economic situation this winter, many people participated in the ‘2023 Hope Ondol Warm Winter Campaign’ to make Geumcheon-gu a community that lives together with neighbors.” He added, “We deeply appreciate the interest and participation of individuals, organizations, and companies who took part.”
Yangcheon-gu Raises Over 1.3 Billion KRW for ‘Warm Winter Campaign’, Achieves Hope Temperature of 152 Degrees
From November last year, 2,629 participations over 3 months raised a total of 1.31 billion KRW, achieving 152% of the target
6.59 billion KRW in cash and 642 million KRW in goods to be used for welfare improvement of vulnerable groups
Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Lee Gi-jae) announced that the ‘2023 Hope Ondol Warm Winter Fundraising Campaign’ conducted over three months from November last year achieved a total fundraising amount of approximately 1.31 billion KRW, far exceeding the target of 855 million KRW, reaching a hope temperature of 152℃.
In November last year, the district installed a ‘Love Thermometer’ in the lobby of the district office’s first floor to mark the start of the ‘2023 Hope Ondol Warm Winter Fundraising Campaign.’ Following this, the unveiling ceremony of the Love Thermometer, attended by Lee Gi-jae, the first Yangcheon-gu sharing ambassador and mayor, key local figures, and residents, along with a donation relay and continuous community promotion, encouraged voluntary donations for three months until February 14 this year.
The final fundraising amount this year was 1.31 billion KRW, with 2,629 donation cases recorded, exceeding the initial target of 855 million KRW by more than 152%. Of this, 659 million KRW was in cash and 642 million KRW in goods. Despite difficult circumstances such as economic recession and rising prices, everyone’s precious hearts for neighbors in need gathered warmly through donations.
In December last year, an anonymous donor added warmth by leaving 3 million KRW with a handwritten letter at the Sinjeong 4-dong Community Service Center, asking it to be used for elderly living alone. Additionally, local churches participated in spreading positive influence through continuous cash donations. Other goods such as rice, health supplements, and winter supplies were delivered to help vulnerable groups have a warm winter.
Although the winter was particularly cold, 1,000 winter coats sponsored by warm-hearted companies and over 6,000 pieces of children and youth clothing melted the severe cold. Also, about 600 fairy tale books donated by a publishing company became nourishment supporting the dreams of local children.
The donated cash and goods will be used for welfare projects such as livelihood, medical, and housing expenses to improve the welfare of low-income residents in the area.
Lee Gi-jae, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu, said, “I sincerely thank all donors who created a warm hope temperature through sharing for neighbors despite the difficult conditions caused by economic recession and rising prices.” He added, “We will continue to widely spread the culture of sharing in the community and build a warm and happy city, Yangcheon-gu, that walks together with the vulnerable.”
Kim Tae-woo, Mayor of Gangseo District, Seoul (center), attended the "Love Coin Collection Piggy Bank Delivery Ceremony" held at the Gangseo Community Center at 10:30 a.m. on the 15th and poured coins from the love piggy bank with children.
Kim Tae-woo, Mayor of Gangseo-gu, Seoul, Attends ‘Love Piggy Bank’ Delivery Ceremony
Over 21 million KRW Donated by Public, Private, and Home Daycare Centers and Private Kindergartens in Gangseo-gu
Kim Tae-woo, Mayor of Gangseo-gu, Seoul, attended the ‘Love Coin Collection Piggy Bank Delivery Ceremony’ held at the Gangseo-gu Citizens’ Hall at 10:30 a.m. on the 15th, where he received neighbor-helping donations from the local daycare and kindergarten associations.
The ‘Love Piggy Bank’ event, which has continued for 14 years since 2009, is a neighbor-helping campaign conducted together with local daycare centers and kindergartens.
It is held in line with the ‘Warm Winter Campaign’ to support marginalized groups such as basic livelihood security recipients and the disabled, with children directly participating in sharing activities to add meaning.
About 500 people, including children from public, private, and home daycare centers and private kindergartens, as well as childcare teachers, attended the ceremony, brightening the event.
The ceremony began with a progress report on the Love Piggy Bank initiative, followed by filling coins into the Love Heart, the piggy bank delivery ceremony, and a children’s musical performance.
The district plans to deliver the 21 million KRW raised over three months from November last year by 158 daycare and kindergarten centers’ children through the Seoul Social Welfare Community Chest to six low-income pediatric patients suffering from childhood cancer and rare incurable diseases.
Mayor Kim Tae-woo said, “I was deeply moved by the sincerity of the children who collected donations with their small hands for friends suffering from incurable diseases.” He added, “I thank the directors and childcare teachers who guide the children to grow up properly.”
Meanwhile, on the same day in the afternoon, Mayor Kim invited about 800 childcare staff from private and home daycare centers to watch a movie to encourage and express gratitude for their hard work.
Yeongdeungpo-gu Raises 2.2 Billion KRW for ‘Warm Winter Campaign’, Achieves 119.7% of Target
A total of 2.27 billion KRW worth of donations and goods collected, achieving the highest fundraising amount ever
Unique donation challenges held in 18 neighborhoods, continuous donation streams across the district
Establishing a robust welfare safety net including discovering welfare blind spots and supporting education expenses for low-income groups
Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Choi Ho-kwon) announced that through the ‘2023 Hope Ondol Warm Winter Campaign’ fundraising project, it achieved a record-high fundraising amount of 2.27 billion KRW (1.12 billion KRW in cash and 1.15 billion KRW in goods).
This amount exceeds the target of 1.9 billion KRW (800 million KRW in cash and 1.1 billion KRW in goods) by 119.7%. The district also achieved the highest fundraising amount last year and received an award as an excellent autonomous district in Seoul.
The ‘Hope Ondol Warm Winter Campaign’ is a representative winter fundraising project jointly promoted by the Social Welfare Community Chest and autonomous districts, conducted over three months from November 15 last year to February 14 this year.
In August last year, the ‘Flood Damage Neighbor Help Fundraising Campaign’ raised 811.69 million KRW in donations and goods, and despite the burden of the consecutive ‘Hope Ondol Warm Winter Campaign,’ donation streams for vulnerable groups continued throughout the community.
During this fundraising project, all 18 neighborhoods held unique donation challenge events. In particular, the district mayor visited all neighborhoods to encourage staff and express gratitude to donors, which led to an increase of about 200 million KRW in cash donations compared to the previous year.
Additionally, precious hearts gathered one by one?from children who brought piggy banks with coins saved with their small hands, recipients who brought envelopes wanting to help families in need, companies whose employees donate part of their monthly salary, to small business owners who thought of neighbors in greater need despite the economic downturn.
Goods such as rice, kimchi, and heating supplies were delivered through neighborhood community centers and social welfare institutions to help low-income residents have a warm winter. Part of the cash donations was used to provide 100,000 KRW per household in heating expenses to 2,000 low-income vulnerable households facing increased economic burdens due to unprecedented severe cold waves and soaring heating costs.
The remaining funds will be used for discovering welfare blind spots, supporting education expenses for low-income children and youth, providing livelihood support for crisis households, and new welfare projects to improve residents’ welfare.
Choi Ho-kwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, said, “I thank everyone who extended a warm hand so that marginalized neighbors can welcome a warm spring even in these difficult times of economic recession.” He added, “We will do our best to deeply root the culture of sharing in daily life and create Yeongdeungpo as a community that walks together with the vulnerable.”
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