The free lunch spots in Chancheng District, Foshan, in south China's Guangdong Province, have drawn national attention. On January 9, the district launched the "Shanxin Station" (meaning Kind Heart or Benevolence) livelihood project, making use of 22 existing elderly canteens to strengthen long-term mechanisms for elderly care, promote nutritious meals for seniors, and provide free meal assistance to special groups.
Chancheng District launches "Shanxin Station" livelihood project.
The "Shanxin Station" project integrates meal support, emotional care and convenient services, pooling resources from local elderly canteens to establish a long-term mechanism combining government coordination, charitable donations and professional operation. Centered on providing "a hot meal" and precisely matching food resources with livelihood needs, it will deliver efficient and targeted food assistance through charity meal services and community-based canteen stations.
Chancheng's elderly canteen
Chancheng's elderly canteen
Since establishing Foshan's first elderly canteen in 2010, Chancheng District has built and operated 22 such facilities, forming a "15-minute community elderly care service circle." At the launch event, the Measures for the Administration of the "I Contribute to Elderly Canteens" Project in Chancheng District, Foshan were also unveiled, under which free meals will be provided to underprivileged seniors, and customized home meal delivery services will be offered to those who are bedridden or have limited mobility.
At the event, several businesses made charitable donations to support the "Shanxin Station" project. Chancheng District also opened public contribution channels, encouraging residents and netizens to support elderly canteens and jointly develop charitable initiatives for senior care.
Reporter: Lu Yao, Zhou Huan
Photo: Dai Jiaxin
Editor: Liu Lingzhi, James Campion, Shen He
