Residents who volunteered 10 or more hours in the previous year are eligible to apply through year-end; accumulated mileage can be exchanged for Gwangjin Love gift certificates (1 mileage point = 1 won) or donated
Gwangjin-gu is accepting additional applications for its volunteer mileage program, which the district runs to encourage community service and promote a culture of sharing.
Under the program, residents registered with the Gwangjin-gu Volunteer Center who complete 10 or more hours of volunteer work in Gwangjin-gu during the previous year earn 1,000 mileage points per hour. Each point is worth 1 won, and accumulated points can be exchanged for Gwangjin Love gift certificates or donated to the Gwangjin Welfare Foundation.
According to the district, this year's initial application round awarded 63.82 million won ($47,700) in mileage to 748 outstanding volunteers.
More than 98 percent of that amount — about 63.01 million won — was exchanged for Gwangjin Love gift certificates, contributing significantly to the local economy, while a portion was donated back to the community.
The strong response from residents used up the original budget, prompting Gwangjin-gu to secure an additional 32.29 million won through a supplementary budget. The district plans to run the program through the end of the year without interruption.
The additional application round is open to residents registered with the Gwangjin-gu Volunteer Center who completed 10 or more hours of volunteer work in the district during the previous year. Residents who moved into or out of the district are also eligible, provided they have a qualifying volunteer record in Gwangjin-gu from the previous year.
Applications are accepted through Nov. 30, though the program may close early if the budget runs out. Residents can apply by downloading the application form from the Gwangjin-gu Volunteer Center or the district's official website and submitting it by email, or by visiting in person.
Mileage is paid out in bulk at the beginning of each month following the end-of-month cutoff. Residents who do not apply for mileage within the calendar year should note that their points will expire automatically at year-end.
"Thanks to the enthusiastic participation of our residents, the original budget was exhausted ahead of schedule, which led us to secure supplementary funding so we can continue supporting volunteer mileage," District Mayor Kim Kyung-ho said. "We will keep introducing a range of support measures to help a sustainable volunteer culture take root and spread."
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