Mental health welfare center and Seoul Metro's Dapsimni depot hold donation ceremony Monday; quilts worth 2 million won to be delivered door-to-door alongside welfare checks
Dongdaemun-gu held a quilt donation ceremony Monday, with the Dongdaemun-gu Mental Health Welfare Center and Seoul Metro's Dapsimni Crew Depot joining forces to deliver winter bedding to mentally vulnerable residents.
The donated quilts are valued at around 2 million won ($1,510) and will be delivered in person to single-person households and economically struggling families among the district's mentally vulnerable population. Six officials from the two organizations attended the ceremony.
Alongside the deliveries, the center plans to check on recipients' mental health and living conditions ahead of winter. The two organizations held a joint planning meeting beforehand to discuss recipients' needs and the direction of support.
The partnership has continued for 18 years since 2009. The Dapsimni Crew Depot has consistently taken part in community giving alongside its core mission of ensuring safe transit for passengers, with cumulative donations now totaling 13 rounds and approximately 26 million won in value. The center, in turn, provides mental health screenings and education for depot employees to support their wellbeing and help prevent depression.
"I hope this small gesture brings warm comfort to those who use the center," said Depot Head An Seong-suk. "We will continue to show care and practice giving so that neighbors struggling emotionally can also live with dreams and hope."
Center Director Lee Sang-min expressed gratitude for the long-running support. "I am deeply thankful to the Dapsimni Crew Depot for 17 years of warm generosity," Lee said. "Since a mental health crisis can come to anyone, the community's sustained attention to treatment and rehabilitation is essential."
Dongdaemun-gu District Mayor Choi Dong-min said he hoped the quilts would offer strength to struggling neighbors this winter. "We will continue to expand the community mental health safety net, built together by the public and private sectors looking out for one another," Choi said.
The Dongdaemun-gu Mental Health Welfare Center provides mental health counseling, case management, rehabilitation programs and treatment cost support to promote residents' mental wellbeing and help vulnerable individuals reintegrate into society. Residents in need of mental health counseling can contact the center or the 24-hour suicide prevention hotline.
If you're thinking about self-harm or suicide, dial the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 109, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please request a translator for English-language services.
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