Up 196% Year-on-Year in the Same Month
Will Realize Hopes for Sancheong's Development
The Hometown Love Donation Program in Sancheong-gun, Gyeongnam, has surpassed 200 million KRW in donations, achieving this year’s goal ahead of schedule. Notably, the amount raised is about twice as high as the same period last year, marking a significant accomplishment.
According to Sancheong-gun on the 14th, the amount raised for the 2024 Hometown Love Donation Program (as of the 13th) stands at approximately 201,184,000 KRW. With this, the annual fundraising goal of 200 million KRW was reached in just seven months, representing a 196% increase compared to the same month last year (102,170,000 KRW).
So far this year, a total of 1,401 donors from across the country have contributed. By region, Gyeongnam had the highest number with 922 donors (64%), followed by Jeonnam with 245 (17%), Busan with 77 (5%), Seoul with 48 (3%), and Gyeonggi with 35 (2%).
Specifically, among the 922 donors from Gyeongnam, Jinju, a neighboring city, accounted for the largest share with 563 donors. By age group, those in their 50s and 40s made up 36% and 25% respectively, while those in their 30s accounted for over 20%.
The average donation amount was found to be 140,000 KRW, and 1,216 donors, or 85% of the total, donated 100,000 KRW, which is eligible for a full tax deduction. There were 30 donors who contributed over 1 million KRW, and six people, including Bae Doseong, president of the Busan Sancheong Hometown Association, donated the maximum individual amount of 5 million KRW.
The driving force behind the early achievement of the goal is attributed to the active promotion of the program by hometown association members and various donation efforts, such as cross-donations between local agricultural cooperatives.
To commemorate reaching the goal, Sancheong-gun will hold an event to present commemorative gifts to donors who helped surpass the 200 million KRW mark. Previously, Sancheong-gun has hosted a 100 million KRW achievement event and an Nth donor event, among other initiatives to promote the Hometown Love Donation Program.
In September, the county plans to participate in the Hometown Love Donation Program Expo in Gyeongju, operating a booth and conducting on-site donations to further promote the program.
County Governor Lee Seunghwa stated, "I sincerely thank all donors who sent their Hometown Love Donations with their support for Sancheong," and added, "We will continue to actively promote the program and implement projects to realize the aspirations for Sancheong's development."
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