The Manseok-dong Community Welfare Council (private chair Joo Young-ki) in Jemulpo-gu District, Incheon, held a side dish-making session on the 1st as part of its “side dish” program for vulnerable middle-aged residents living alone. By having residents who had been receiving side dishes take part in the cooking themselves, the program was seen as promoting both self-reliance in eating habits and exchange among neighbors.
 [The Korean Today] Participants in the Manseok-dong Community Welfare Council side dish-making program © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
The program is a specialized project of the Manseok-dong Community Welfare Council and has run since March. The council has delivered side dishes twice a month to middle-aged households living alone and checked on their well-being at the same time. The project aims to ensure meals and prevent isolation simultaneously.
The event on the 1st went a step further. Beyond delivering side dishes, participants made stir-fried anchovies, braised beef and cabbage kimchi themselves and shared recipes. The aim is to help them prepare simple side dishes at home on their own.
One resident who took part said, “I always only met the members of the dong community welfare council at home, so coming out for some fresh air and taking a class together was a nice change of pace and very enjoyable.” The resident added, “I think I’ll be able to easily make the dishes I learned today on my own from now on, so it was a meaningful time.”
Chair Joo Young-ki said, “Through this class, I wanted to give residents time to interact with neighbors and support them so they can take good care of their meals even when living alone.” He added, “We will continue to make greater efforts so that Manseok-dong becomes a community where people live together while feeling as little loneliness and isolation as possible.”
Middle-aged people living alone are prone to falling into welfare blind spots, and this initiative, which combines regular visits with more opportunities for outside activities and interaction, merits attention for broadening community-level approaches to care.
[ Reporter Kim Mi-hee: incheonsouth@thekoreantoday.com ]
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