Food Security Taiwan Project #32708

End Hunger - Build a Hunger-free Network

by The Mustard Seed Mission

Project Report | Jan 10, 2022
Community Sharing Refrigerator, Sharing Love

By Becca Wang | Project Leader

"I want to do the service of Community Refrigerator!" Pastor Su agreed without hesitation after listening to the social worker's explanation of the Mustard Seed Mission's Community Sharing Refrigerator service.

There are relatively few job opportunities in Zhutian Township. Young and middle-aged people choose to work in other places; only the elderly and children stay. Here, parents usually only give their children very little pocket money for daily meals purchase. A middle school student in the church only got 120TWD (4.5USD) from her mother to live on for four days. After hearing this, the pastor brought her several packs of instant noodles and biscuits. On Sunday, the pastor shared the situation with the members. Some members took some rice, eggs and other food to help this girl. Thinking of these circumstances, the pastor could only smile amusingly.

According to a research report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), about one-third of the world's food produced is discarded every year, and Taiwan also wastes nearly 3.73 million tons of extra food every year. There is so much food left every year, but "hunger" is still happening.

The pastor smiled happily: "I was just thinking if there is a steady food bank, she can go and get food anytime. Unexpectedly, you were coming the way I hope!"

Pastor Su agrees with the service of the community sharing refrigerator, and he can't wait to take us to survey the location. As soon the door was opened, one was greeted by the festive Hakka floral wallpaper. When he pointed to the location near the door, planned the size of the refrigerator with his hand, and discussed the objects to be served, we felt warm in our hearts like seeing a big love in such a small place!

Discussing the suitable location for placing MSM Community Sharing Refrigerator

The purpose of the Mustard Seed Mission Community Sharing Refrigerator is to uphold the spirit of not wasting resources, and to properly use the materials provided by community residents and caring stores to achieve the community's vision of self-help, mutual assistance, and mutual benefit.

Two months later, a community sharing refrigerator was launched, and the Zhutian Church was busy working hard for the welfare of the community. During the week of the trial operation, the pastor drove to Pingtung City to collect the supplies provided by the caring stores, and returned to the church. The volunteers carefully distributed them evenly for the convenience of the people to collect them. Then, they put labels on them to remind the receivers how to save and pay attention to the expiry date of the materials. On the day of the first distribution, the people lined up in an orderly manner, filled in the information, and waited to receive the supplies. When the people got the supplies, they kept saying "thank you". Though the people's smiles were hidden by masks, the volunteers felt the joy and warmth in their voices. Pastor Su sighed and said, "Some families in the community really need the service of sharing refrigerators."

Each material is carefully packed and labeled

"Community Sharing Refrigerator" is not just a refrigerator for donated food, it is a warm and loving action gathering place for people in the community to contribute as they can and get help according to their needs. At present, due to the severe epidemic situation, the government has issued a warning. The church was once worried that it would cause clusters and suspended the refrigerator service. The official opening ceremony was also postponed due to the epidemic. Love will continue to spread in Zhutian.

Looking forward to the service of Community Sharing Refrigerator to continue spreading love in Zhutian after the lift of lockdown

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Sep 15, 2021
Bringing Warmth to Rural Village

By Ms. Becca Wang | Project Leader

The Mustard Seed Mission (MSM) saw the shortage of supplies and food for disadvantaged families in the community and have started the community food bank services since 2017. At the beginning of 2020, MSM also looked forward to working with local officers to promote the Food Bank version 2.0 "Community Sharing Refrigerator".

The Community Sharing Refrigerator is a service for local residents, in which local caring stores provide edible food, and the village chief are responsible for management and helping families in the community who come to receive supplies. In this way, we will build up the bridge of love in the community, pursue the concept of not wasting food, care about the needs of families in difficulties in the local community, and let the spirit of mutual help and love be brought into play.

The first people to receive supplies

Community Sharing Refrigerator is not limited to certain people, instead whoever need the supplies they can come to get it. With this undifferentiating attitude, the service helps residents who need materials. The local Guanfu Muyitang church in Miaoli has been helping families in need for a long time. Therefore, when the service of Community Sharing Refrigerator is promoted, it quickly spread to the local area and became a well-known "good news" in the community.

Partners of such service said: "This time through Community Sharing Refrigerator, we have become familiar with more people who have not been in contact with before. We hope that through Community Sharing Refrigerator, we can care for not just the local residents.

Another partner also said: "Because many stores in the community agree with this concept, they have joined in such a common good operation one after another, so that the refrigerator has sufficient supplies. In order to help families in need, they also specially make some meat buns and provide them to the MSM service centers."

Thanks to the service of Community Sharing Refrigerator, the exchange of love between people is strung together, fully demonstrating the concept of “No Food Waste, Elimination of Hunger, and Community Mutual Assistance” in Community Sharing Refrigerator.

People queuing to get supplies

MSM thanks the owners of caring stores and the officers of the community for their support to weave together the community network, to achieve the community's vision of self-help, mutual assistance, sharing, and mutual benefit.

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May 19, 2021
Sharing Bits and Pieces, Pass on Hope

By Becca Wang | Project Leader

"Thank you very much... This pack of rice came in time and is helping me and my children for several days..."-Fara from Cambodia expressed with deep appreciation.

Fara, from Cambodia, settles down in Taiwan after marriage. Unexpectedly, two years ago, she suffered from her husband's domestic violence. She decided to bring 4-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter alone with herself. With a meager income from temporary job in a noodle shop, living in a city far away from hometown, isolated and helpless, there have been several times Fara has thought of giving up everything and leaving Taiwan, but because of her love for children, she could not give up after all. Fara decided to try to survive and persist hard moving forward.

Through the Mustard Seed Mission's food bank service and the chief of village who have been offering help to disadvantaged residents of the community, social workers get to learn the vulnerable situation of Fara's family, they immediately provide assistance with their daily necessities and meals of the day. Furthermore, to understand the living conditions of the mother and two kids, social workers spend time to care for them and listen to her concerns.

Fara looked at the package of supplies, although the amount of food was limited, it is good enough to sustain a few meals. She was smiling to express deep appreciation, which has not been shown in a long time. She shared with her social workers what she planned to use these available materials to prepare food for the children. Looking at the smiley faces in front of us while thinking back, a few months ago, the sad faces when we first saw Fara, we are very pleased and thankful for the assistance of the society for supporting Fara's family.

At every hidden corner of society, there are stories similar to Fara's family. It may be a neighbor who passes by you every day, but can't ask for help. These people are worrying about meals of the day, and even for trivial things like the basic food and clothing. These are not every day issues for us, but they are a daily problem and challenge to the disadvantaged group who is most likely to be around you and me.

The Mustard Seed Community Food Bank service actively cares for disadvantaged families. Through the sharing of daily supplies, visits and care, many community families are greatly helped, so that they can get physical and mental comfort as well as life relief, just like Fara and her two children.

We sincerely invite you to share the supplies needed by the people at home through the nearest food bank. Every bit of care will be an opportunity for a family to continue its hope.

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