Gyeonggi Province and KT&G Welfare Organization host ‘Gimjang with Love, a Relay Event’; attracts over 200 participants

◇ Gyeonggi Province hosted ‘Gimjang with Love, a Relay Event’ at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Northern Complex from 9:30am on November 3. More than 200 volunteers from welfare facilities across the Uijeongbu region including the KT&G Welfare Organization, the Gyeonggi-do Welfare Center for the Blind, and senior welfare centers in Uijeongbu participated in the event. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News

With the winter ‘gimjang’ season (annual season for making kimchi) coming up, Gyeonggi Province and the KT&G Welfare Organization have teamed up. 

Gyeonggi Province hosted ‘Gimjang with Love, a Relay Event’ at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Northern Complex from 9:30am on November 3. More than 200 volunteers from welfare facilities across the Uijeongbu region including the KT&G Welfare Organization, the Gyeonggi-do Welfare Center for the Blind, and senior welfare centers in Uijeongbu participated in the event.

This year’s event took place as part of the ‘Taking Care of Solitary Senior Citizens Project’ carried out by Gyeonggi Province and the KT&G Welfare Organization since 2012. The plan was to share kimchi and love with some of our marginalized neighbors in northern Gyeonggi, including senior citizens who live alone and households receiving in-home welfare, who can’t prepare for the winter season by themselves. 

‘Gimjang with Love, a Relay Event’ saw 11,800kg of kimchi made with heartwarming love and care by volunteers shared with our neighbors in need including 1,180 households in the Uijeongbu area that are receiving in-home welfare as well as local free soup kitchens. 

The KT&G Welfare Organization has been holding such events every year in tandem with local welfare organizations and KT&G operations across the country. The KT&G Welfare Organization is scheduled to hold a gimjang event at the Yeoncheon Public Stadium on November 5 for some of our neighbors in need in the Yeoncheon and Pocheon area, and another event at the Dongducheon City Sports Complex on November 10 for those in the Dongducheon and Yeoncheon area. 

A provincial government said, “Since our voluntary activities to share our love have become a beacon of hope for more marginalized families and people in need, we’d like to attract more attention and participation so that we can continue supporting low income households.” The official added, “We hope this year’s ‘Gimjang with Love, a Relay Event’ becomes a chance to spread a culture of sharing throughout society.” 

The ‘Taking Care of Solitary Senior Citizens Project’ offers talking companion services for the emotional support of senior citizens who don’t have any children or for senior citizens who live alone despite having families. The project is also a volunteer network project that links people with government and private sector support when they need welfare support depending on changes in their health and living circumstances.

ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News | Roh Kyung-hee khrohh@kg21.net 

http://gnews.gg.go.kr/news/news_detail.asp?number=201511041042222044C048&s_code=C048