Packages include 12 items such as instant rice, galbi and japchae
With Chuseok just days away, Seoul's Gangseo-gu is providing food support to 200 at-risk youth and teenagers in the district.
The district held a "Chuseok Sharing Event for At-Risk Youth" on Monday at the Gangseo Food Bank and Market's Deungchon branch.
About 20 people attended, including District Mayor Jin Kyo-hoon, Jung Yu-jin, chief executive of the nonprofit Hamkkehanun Sarangbat, Cho Beom-seok, director of the Gangseo Food Bank and Market, and Oh Hyeon-ju, director of the Out-of-School Youth Support Center. Volunteers from the Beautiful Service Corps also took part, adding to the spirit of giving.
Jin and other attendees personally packed food boxes to be delivered to at-risk youth and teenagers in the district. Each box contained 12 items, including instant rice, braised galbi, tteokgalbi (grilled ground-beef patties) and japchae.
A total of 200 boxes, funded by Hamkkehanun Sarangbat, will be distributed to young people who have recently left welfare facilities and begun living independently, as well as to isolated and reclusive teenagers in crisis.
"As the holiday approaches, many people feel joy and excitement at the thought of visiting their parents back home — but those in difficult circumstances often spend the holiday alone," Jin said. "I hope these boxes convey the warmth of a community that cares about its young people." He added that it is extremely difficult for youth without family or financial support to become self-sufficient, and pledged to do everything possible to help more at-risk young people find jobs and take their first steps into society.
Gangseo-gu runs a range of support programs for youth transitioning to independent living, including a convenience store operated by the young people themselves.
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
