Business plummeted by 70%, and the number of people receiving blessed rice soared by 3 times. The love cafeteria insisted on serving the sumptuous winter solstice rice: I want to help if I lose.

District 18 News

Author: Mo Jiawen

2020-12-21 00:08

Last update date: 2020-12-21 00:08

The temperature of a lunch box is not only how hot it is when it is taken out, but how it expresses human value.

The ginkgo pavilion, a social enterprise that assists the elderly in employment, has experienced the most difficult moment in its 17 years of operation. The epidemic has caused its business to plummet by 60 to 70%. At the same time, the economic downturn has caused the number of people registering for free meals to soar two to three times. "Evade and do", but I have seen unemployed young people in their 20s who survived the difficulties and re-employed with blessings. There are also fan friends who walk 2.7 kilometers a day and work voluntarily for 3 hours. They think it is a price to stick to it. I hope to help people, and in the end he can help myself."

The ginkgo pavilion in each dynasty is a battlefield of time. Elderly kitchen workers in their seventies are busy steaming rice and boiling soup, and then the other employees are responsible for the division of labor. Some are responsible for cooking woks, and others are divided into soup and poured into a package. For lunch boxes, only the "Yue Lao" branch in Yau Ma Tei, at least 320 free meal quotas have been completed before 10:30 in the morning. The extra number of meal recipients and the menu for daily diners have not been calculated, even the CEO, Minmei Mak I also have to settle down, pick up the plastic tray full of cups and dishes and send it to the dishwashing department. Turn around and busy picking up the rice spoon to scoop up the food and add the order, so as to avoid the continuous prolongation of the food queue and the prevention of the gathering restriction order. Rules for crowd gathering.

Fanyou volunteers help others to help themselves

In addition to a group of elderly employees in uniforms, there are also several diners with volunteer badges on their chests.

More than 60 old Mo, who suffered from waist problems for many years, still arrived on time at 9 o'clock every morning, wore a paper hat and hung up an apron and walked into the kitchen to scoop up rice and vegetables; Qinzi, in his 40s, was dispatched by street-sleepers Living in a halfway dormitory, after being diagnosed with cancer, waiting for chemotherapy within the day, and insisting on packing lunch boxes every day; in order to save money, Xiaowen, in his 60s, walked 2.7 kilometers from Sham Shui Po to Yau Ma Tei branch in the morning to help register for meal distribution, and 80 The silver-haired mother-in-law, who is still more than a few years old, works for at least 3 hours. The return is a free meal just like other registered fans.

"During the voluntary meal, I saw him happy and healthy, and most importantly, I felt worthwhile. I felt that I needed a blessing meal today, but I can help others."

Ginkgo Pavilion CEO Mai Minmei

Miss Mai admitted that this year’s epidemic has been repeated. Six branches of Ginkgo Pavilion have been affected to varying degrees. The flow of people has plummeted by 60% to 70%. She smiled bitterly, "You can’t even sit halfway in the dining hall." The government ordered restaurants to ban restaurants after 6 o’clock. After the dine-in, the situation became more severe. The number of people who registered for free meals increased sharply. Take the Yau Ma Tei branch "Yue Lao" as an example. At the beginning of this year, only three to four hundred people registered, but now it has surged to 1,100 to 1,200. There are hundreds of people, but we cannot reduce the number of meals. Disguised in order to survive, we must continue to change for survival. For example, we will arrange for colleagues in the evening market to be transferred to work early. Volunteers who are not homeless will also reduce their helpers, even thinking that there will be more than eight people at Christmas Large meals are changed to meals for one person or meals for four to six persons. The purpose is to return to work for everyone.

Hope everyone has a work return

"This process drove the elder colleagues in my class to have a job, and I returned early to cook a meal... This kind of expression is expressed through blessed rice, which is actually a cycle of love, made by enthusiastic friends and elder colleagues. Ginkgo Pavilion Just be a bridge role so that everyone can survive in the middle."

Although she has turned the tide, in the face of business decline and increasing demand for food, Mai Mai admits that the organization has to bear the basic expenses such as lamp oil and wax, and all the income supports the employment of employees. The income and expenditure are balanced, but she insisted on not reducing the amount of blessed meals, and even did not know to increase orders. "The epidemic is severe, and the demand for blessed meals has increased daily, which means that there is a group of friends in society who need food and clothing."

The only thing that makes her thankful is that every time she sees her fans going from being helped to getting out of trouble, she thinks that all persistence has value.

"I have seen my friends in their early twenties. Although you see that she is young, she has to struggle a lot. First, she fills out a meal sheet and picks up a meal card, but when she is happy to find her to cook, just say I don’t. I want a meal card."

At present, restaurants accept external donations. For every meal donated from 28 to 38 yuan, the organization promises to provide a meal with a hot meal or meal with soup and fruit, and even add food during the winter solstice. The elderly cook will make "Love Before One "Lunch box", in addition to traditional winter solstice dishes such as shrimp, chicken and mushrooms, the main course will be appropriately prepared with lamb racks, chicken chopsticks or pork knuckles. I hope that street friends will have a better life during the winter solstice. It is 38 yuan each. So far, more than 10,000 units have been ordered by social welfare agencies. They will be given to service targets on the winter solstice day. It is estimated that this year may have a record of 20,000 units, hoping to meet the needs of all walks of life.

"There are not many (institutions) that can continue (distributing food) to this kind of activity in the market, and can express this kind of care. Over this period of time, I feel more need it."

Citizens who are interested in donating blessed rice to the Ginkgo Pavilion or want to order Christmas meals can follow the link below or call the Ginkgo Pavilion for enquiries.

Menu details: https://bit.ly/2UnfT6p

WhatsApp inquiry/order: 5117 7695

Hotline: 8209 3088

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