From Side Dish Deliveries to Scholarships... Dobong District Joins Forces with Private Sector for Resident Welfare

Specialized Programs for Middle-aged and Elderly Single-person Households...
Side Dish and Nutritional Porridge Delivery, Home Repair Projects, Scholarship Support, and More

Dobong District in Seoul (District Mayor Oh Unseok) is drawing attention for its welfare initiatives that accompany residents.

The initiatives range from addressing basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter to providing educational support, including scholarship sponsorships.

The programs are divided by beneficiary groups and are tailored to meet the specific needs of each group, thereby increasing their effectiveness.

First, the main target is single-person households among the middle-aged and elderly. The district determined that food, clothing, and shelter are the most critical issues for them.

To address this, the district is collaborating with four local religious institutions?Dobong Methodist Church, Areumdaun Church, Gangbuk Woori Church, and Seowonam?to implement the "Crisis Household Side Dish Delivery Program" and the "Vulnerable Household Nutritional Porridge Delivery Program."

These programs target approximately 500 single-person households among the middle-aged and elderly, delivering side dishes and nutritional porridge to each household once a week.

The religious institutions are responsible for preparing the food, while delivery is handled by the local community security councils, which are composed of staff from local community centers and residents.

Programs for households with poor housing conditions are also receiving positive feedback. The home repair project is an example.

The home repair project is being carried out in partnership with a religious institution (Nopheunddeut Jeongui Church) and a private organization (Dokkaebi Union). The district identifies and selects the beneficiaries, and the actual repairs are conducted by the religious institution and the private organization.

There is also the "Dobong-type Special Support" program. This initiative provides up to 500,000 won in moving expenses for households with poor housing conditions when they relocate.

For educationally disadvantaged households, the district has partnered with local academies. Eleven academies are providing full support for tuition and textbook fees for students from low-income and vulnerable families identified by the district.

Some companies are also donating scholarships. Dongsung Pharmaceutical and Seoul Fire Department donate scholarships to the district every year for local students.

Oh Unseok, Mayor of Dobong District, stated, "The district is carrying out welfare initiatives together with residents, companies, and all stakeholders. We are creating a model in which roles are shared and mutual growth is pursued in implementing these programs," adding, "We will continue to work more closely with relevant organizations to achieve 'Dobong, changing together for happiness' in the future."