With children out of school due to the COVID-19 pandemic and summer vacation, three square meals for low-income and middle low-income children have become problematic. In addition, the pandemic has impacted the economic situation of families and affected their living. During summer this year, the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation and many county and city education departments are collaborating to provide the Food Relief Box. In July, Hsinchu County delivered these boxes to 1,478 households, and this month, about 1,712 boxes are expected to be delivered. In addition to taking care of these disadvantaged families and children, the County is also assisting small local farmers in the area by buying fruits and vegetables from them. This morning, County Magistrate Yang Wen-Ke also participated in the box packing with colleagues from the government, volunteers from the Tzu Chi Foundation and other youths to share social responsibility with the Tzu Chi Foundation.
County Magistrate Yang pointed out that the Tzu Chi Foundation has been engaged in social welfare work for many years, providing materials and care to disadvantaged groups. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the Tzu Chi Foundation has once again demonstrated its power in stabilizing society. On the one hand, it purchased 5 million doses of the German made BNT vaccine at its own expense for young students. During the severe stage of the pandemic, it also donated 2 sets of modular screening stations to the Hsinchu County Government. It also provided children in rural areas with refurbished computers and Internet sharing to allow them to continue with their learning during the suspension of school. Due to the continuing impact of the pandemic, many families still need assistance. The Tzu Chi Foundation additionally included more people "whose family are experiencing financial problems due to the pandemic" as the target of their assistance. The Foundation provided the Hsinchu County Government with 1,712 Food Relief Boxes for families in need. The County Government is very much appreciative of its assistance in helping these families.
Today, through Chiu Chun-Liang, Director of the General Affairs Department of Hsinchu County Government, more than 15 county employees were recruited to join in the box packing in the county auditorium to thoroughly fulfill the spirit of "shared social responsibility". On the one hand, this allowed our government colleagues to contribute in whatever way they can. On the other hand, it also allowed our colleagues in the Hsinchu County government to experience the joy of giving.This time, each disadvantaged family will be given a Food Relief Box. Each box contains fresh fruits and vegetables and two 5kg bags of white rice (worth a total value of more than NT$5000).