[Provided by Gwanak-gu]
[Provided by Gwanak-gu]

Seoul's Gwanak-gu district announced Tuesday that it has been selected for a competitive grant program to support socially isolated households at risk, organized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and sponsored by KMI Korean Medical Institute.

The program was designed to help local governments build tighter safety nets for vulnerable households by proposing specialized plans tailored to their communities. Gwanak-gu was among seven local governments chosen in the final selection.

As a result of the selection, the district secured 65 million won ($43,900) in full — designated funds donated by KMI Korean Medical Institute through the Community Chest of Korea — to cover project costs.

The district plans to use the funding to launch a community outreach and support program for reclusive and isolated households and those at risk of dying alone, with the goal of stabilizing their daily lives and helping them build social connections. The program targets households that require linkage to private-sector resources.

Community welfare centers and other private partner organizations will identify eligible individuals, who will then go through a review by Gwanak-gu's local social security council before final selection.

Gwanak-gu has also established and operates an isolation-prevention council — the first of its kind among Seoul's autonomous districts — bringing together the district office, police, welfare centers, public rental apartment management offices and the Korea Licensed Real Estate Agents Association in a public-private partnership.

"Being selected for this program is the result of our community coming together to find and help neighbors who have been left behind and cut off," district Mayor Park Jun-hee said. "We will continue to strengthen public-private cooperation to help isolated households quickly return to everyday life, and build a sustainable, community-centered care safety net that leaves no one behind."

Since last year, the district has been pursuing a comprehensive isolation-prevention plan comprising 11 projects, with the goal of building a "Gwanak Without Loneliness" community. The initiative reflects the district's status as having the highest proportion of single-person households among Seoul's autonomous districts, at 62.6%. Gwanak-gu also operates Seoul Mind Convenience Stores at the sixth floor of Seongmin Community Welfare Center and at the Seoul YWCA Bongcheon Community Welfare Center.


cook@heraldcorp.com