By Lo Chi / Staff reporterThe kindness of Taiwanese is a “model for Asia,” Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) said yesterday at a banquet for underprivileged groups in Taipei to mark the end of the lunar year. Each year, the Genesis Social Welfare Foundation, the Huashan Social Welfare Foundation and the Zenan Homeless Social Welfare Foundation host year-end banquets nationwide for low-income people; those who are homeless or long-term unemployed; elderly people living alone; and single mothers in need of assistance, organizers said. The meaningful event started 30 years ago, when volunteers delivered boxed meals to homeless people, Chen said, before thanking the volunteers at the Taipei event. It was the first time that more than 40,000 people have eaten a “reunion meal” before the Lunar New Year, he said. The number of small donors who contributed to the event increased this year, showing that an increasing number of people want to help disadvantaged groups, the Zenan Homeless Social Welfare Foundation said.

Source: Taipei Times January 19, 2020 15:56 UTC