Former high-flyers such as brokers and estate agents are joining the growing ranks at Hong Kong’s food banks as the global financial crisis worsens.
At the same time, a decline in donations is making it hard to meet the mounting demand, charitable organisations that operate the food centres say.
People’s Food Bank, managed by the St James’ Settlement, provided food to more than 12,300 needy people in the first nine months of this year, compared to 13,000 for the whole of last year.
Connie Ng Man-yin, who oversees the food bank in Western, said demand was expected to rise, as there were already signs formerly better-off people were seeking help.
“A broker in the financial sector approached us for help after losing his job. His family is now applying for public assistance,” Ms Ng said.
“There is also a property agent who comes to us after being sacked because of the market slump.
“He still has to pay a monthly mortgage for his flat and has two kids to feed, so he comes to us for free milk powder.”
While demand is going up, donations are going down. Ms Ng said donations in September were down by about 20 per cent year on year.
In his policy address last month, Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen pledged to boost short-term food assistance to the needy, with HK$100 million earmarked for food aid.
But that is still awaiting Legislative Council approval.
Visiting a food bank in Kwun Tong yesterday, Mr Tsang promised that the government would spare no effort to help people in need, and said he would seek the approval for the food aid as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung Kin-chung said the government was working with welfare groups on a food-voucher scheme to help those who had not benefited from the relief measures the government announced in July.
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Stockbrokers and estate agents join food queues
Ng Kang-chung and Fanny W.Y. Fung
1 November 2008
Former high-flyers such as brokers and estate agents are joining the growing ranks at Hong Kong’s food banks as the global financial crisis worsens.
At the same time, a decline in donations is making it hard to meet the mounting demand, charitable organisations that operate the food centres say.
People’s Food Bank, managed by the St James’ Settlement, provided food to more than 12,300 needy people in the first nine months of this year, compared to 13,000 for the whole of last year.
Connie Ng Man-yin, who oversees the food bank in Western, said demand was expected to rise, as there were already signs formerly better-off people were seeking help.
“A broker in the financial sector approached us for help after losing his job. His family is now applying for public assistance,” Ms Ng said.
“There is also a property agent who comes to us after being sacked because of the market slump.
“He still has to pay a monthly mortgage for his flat and has two kids to feed, so he comes to us for free milk powder.”
While demand is going up, donations are going down. Ms Ng said donations in September were down by about 20 per cent year on year.
In his policy address last month, Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen pledged to boost short-term food assistance to the needy, with HK$100 million earmarked for food aid.
But that is still awaiting Legislative Council approval.
Visiting a food bank in Kwun Tong yesterday, Mr Tsang promised that the government would spare no effort to help people in need, and said he would seek the approval for the food aid as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung Kin-chung said the government was working with welfare groups on a food-voucher scheme to help those who had not benefited from the relief measures the government announced in July.
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