To give lonely elders a warm Mid-Autumn Festival, Huashan Genesis Social Welfare Foundation (HGSWF) launched a Mid-Autumn gift-giving event to show respect and concern toward the elderly people living alone. Anyone who donates more than NT$ 1,200 will be returned with a shopping coupon booklet worth of about NT$ 9,000 by stores taking part in the event. Mayor Jason Hu called for more participants, hoping that love-sharing stores can increase from 47 into 470 and caring for the elderly will become a social movement.
The press conference calling for "sharing love to the lonely elders in Mid-Autumn Festival” (中秋有愛 幸福不老) was held in Kaga Conference Center (加賀會議中心) on July 31st. Present at the scene were more than 60 senior citizens, Mayor Jason Hu, Goodwill Ambassador 2moro, Social Affairs Bureau Chief Secretary Liu Hong-zhong (劉宏忠), City Councilor Liu Shi-zhou (劉士州), representatives of love-sharing stores and many volunteers. All of them vowed to take care of the elderly.
Liang Wei-yu (梁偉宇), District Webmaster of Taichung Angel Web of Huashan Genesis Social Welfare Foundation (華山˙創世基金會臺中市天使網部區站長), said that one week before Mid-Autumn Festival, the elderly taken care of by HGSWF will receive a gift package consisting of moon cakes, cereals, biscuits, and noodles. It is estimated that the gift packages will cost HGSWF approximately NT$ 450,000. Donations are highly welcomed.
Webmaster Liang pointed out that there are about 236,000 elderly people living in Taichung City and HGSWF currently takes care of about 1,300 of them, less than one percent. There are much room for improvement. As HGSWF has already set up 25 angel stations, almost one station in each of the 29 administrative districts in Taichung City, a large number of volunteers are needed. People from all walks of life are thus welcomed to join HGSWF to take care of the elderly in need, added Webmaster Liang.
Liang pointed out further that he was very grateful to the 47 stores that have promised to take part in this event, including 7-Eleven convenience store, Gogoforher (佳儷曲線運動館), Daphne (達芙妮), Love World (愛的世界), Shuei Wu Business Organization (水舞事業機構), Mucha Salon Du Chocolat (慕夏巧克力專賣店), and so on.
“Taking care of the elderly in our society is something we must do” urged Mayor Hu, who called for young people to look after the elderly every weekend. Mayor Hu also promised to take the lead to donate money and the audience responded with a burst of enthusiastic applause. He also hoped that the number of stores participating in the love-sharing event can increase from 47 to 470. "Let us turn caring for the elderly into a social movement in Taichung City” pleaded Mayor Hu.
“Everyone of us will get old one day. This should not be just an oath but an action," said Yan-jun (彥均) and Yan-fu (彥甫), Goodwill Ambassador 2moro, who usually help the elderly to cross the road and carry heavy loads for them. Young people should take more actions to share their love and look after the social welfare, added 2moro.
The purpose of Huashan Genesis Social Welfare Foundation is to serve the elderly aged 65 or over, who suffer from dementia and/or disability and live alone. HGSWF Volunteers pay home visits regularly to help bathe them, accompany them to medical treatments, and clean their houses, and so on. The goal of HGSWF is to set up an elderly-caring angel station in each of the 369 townships in Taiwan to promote self-help and mutual-help mode in the community. As of today, there are 271 angel stations established in Taiwan. If you see any elders in need of help, please call toll-free HGSWF hotline. Please make your contributions to the account #22638451 or call Huashan Genesis Social Welfare Foundation at Tel (04) 2473-4843.