Grocery Packages Worth 20,000 Won Provided Up to Three Times a Year
Identifying Households in Crisis and Connecting Them to Welfare Services
Gwangmyeong City in Gyeonggi Province is launching a food welfare program to provide emergency grocery support to citizens facing livelihood crises.
On November 26, Gwangmyeong City announced that it will pilot the "Food Security Corner Geunyang Dream Project," which connects citizens in need with donated food, for five months from next month through April next year.
An employee is delivering groceries to a senior citizen at the Gwangmyeong Food Bank Market Center located in Gwangmyeong-dong, Gwangmyeong City. Provided by Gwangmyeong City
This project, promoted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, aims to provide basic food items unconditionally to citizens experiencing sudden crises. Last month, the Gwangmyeong Food Bank Market Center was selected as a pilot operator for this initiative. The city explained that its strong commitment to the project and its experience operating the "Geunyang Dream Corner" in Gyeonggi Province in 2021 were key factors in being chosen as a pilot site.
To implement the project, the city has actively recruited food donors, establishing a foundation to support up to 50 people per day and 1,000 people per month.
Citizens facing financial hardship can receive support by visiting the Gwangmyeong Food Bank Market Center at 34-19 Gwangmyeong-dong without any prior application. Visitors will receive a grocery package worth approximately 20,000 won, consisting of three to five items such as rice, dried seaweed, and canned goods.
The center can be used up to three times per year. Starting from the second visit, welfare counseling is mandatory, and visitors will be connected to the necessary welfare services.
Gwangmyeong City plans to use this project not only as a means of food support but also as a gateway to welfare services. Depending on the circumstances identified during counseling, the city will connect recipients to emergency welfare, basic livelihood support, and customized public and private services, aiming to effectively address gaps in the welfare system.
For more information about the project, inquiries can be made to the Gwangmyeong Food Bank Market Center or the Welfare Policy Division of Gwangmyeong City.
The city will analyze the results of the pilot operation and refine the project to establish an effective food security system starting in May next year.
Park Seungwon, Mayor of Gwangmyeong City, stated, "Food is the most basic right that everyone should enjoy and the minimum safety net for survival," adding, "We will thoroughly guarantee citizens' right to food and build a sustainable basic welfare safety net."
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