Gwangju Nam-gu Begins Full Support for Cold Weather Vulnerable Groups

Nam-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City is preparing and providing essential daily necessities, from electric heating pads to food, to help vulnerable residents in the district stay warm ahead of the winter cold wave.

On the 1st, Nam-gu announced, "As the severe cold season begins, we will actively promote support projects for heating supplies during the cold wave and warm winter initiatives to ease the worries of vulnerable residents in the district, including low-income care neighbors, elderly living alone, and people with disabilities."

First, Nam-gu is implementing a heating cost and heating supplies support project for vulnerable groups during the winter cold season using 37 million KRW from the Gwangju Community Chest of Korea.

The support targets 332 care households recommended by the 17 administrative welfare centers in the district.

For 150 households facing severe financial difficulties, 100,000 KRW in heating costs will be provided, and 82 households in communal living homes and welfare centers will receive electric heating pads worth approximately 145,000 KRW.

Additionally, 100 care households, including those participating in the Happy Mentoring program, will be provided with winter blankets.

Nam-gu will also invest 8 million KRW from the district budget to purchase 50 whipped cream cakes, 68 bags of 10 kg rice, and 80 packs of meat to provide food to 5 single-parent families, 36 households with disabilities, 44 care neighbors, and 36 children using communal living homes, so they can enjoy the upcoming Christmas cheerfully.

The food supplies are expected to be distributed starting early this month.

Along with this, as the year-end approaches, various donated items offered by the local community will be collected and distributed to low-income families, elderly living alone, and other vulnerable residents.

Donated items received by the Welfare Policy Division of the district office until recently include 400 bags of 10 kg rice, 100 fire prevention power strips, 60 boxes of 10 kg kimchi for kimjang, heating oil worth 4 million KRW, 1,200 briquettes, and 30 winter blankets worth 2 million KRW.

Items donated by Buddhist groups, companies, and various social organizations will be distributed within this month.

A Nam-gu official said, "What alleviates the winter cold wave is our concern for our neighbors," adding, "We will carefully attend to even the smallest details to ensure that vulnerable residents can spend the winter healthily."