Gwangmyeong City, First in the Nation to Support 'Fruit Basket' for Elderly Living Alone Receiving Basic Livelihood Benefits

【Financial News Gwangmyeong=Jang Chung-sik Reporter】Gyeonggi-do Gwangmyeong City announced on the 29th that it will provide healthy fruit baskets to all elderly living alone who receive basic livelihood benefits, the first in the nation to do so.
To this end, the city will promote the 'Gwangmyeong Fruit Basket' project from June, providing seasonal fruits to over 2,000 elderly living alone aged 65 and over who receive basic livelihood benefits and reside in the area.
The basic livelihood benefit is a basic living security system that supports living expenses for low-income households whose income is below the minimum living cost. In particular, elderly living alone who receive basic livelihood benefits are a vulnerable group that requires careful care due to economic difficulties and inconvenience in mobility, which can lead to an unbalanced diet or being in a health management blind spot.
Accordingly, the city will invest 198 million won in project funds to deliver a fruit basket worth about 30,000 won per person directly to the homes of elderly living alone three times a year, once per quarter, to ensure they receive proper nutrients.
Providing support to all elderly living alone receiving basic livelihood benefits is the first in the nation.
The fruit basket is composed of seasonal fruits for summer, autumn, and winter, helping the elderly maintain a balanced nutrient intake and form healthy eating habits.
In addition, regular delivery visits can check on the well-being of the elderly living alone, playing an effective role in preventing lonely deaths.
The 'Gwangmyeong Fruit Basket' project can be supported by elderly living alone aged 65 who receive basic livelihood benefits without a separate application.
Park Seung-won, the mayor, said, "This project is a small start to protecting the health of the elderly and a chance to strengthen the ties of care," adding, "We will continue to build a dense care system without welfare blind spots to ensure no one is left out."
Meanwhile, Gwangmyeong City plans to deliver fruit baskets to elderly living alone with the cooperation of welfare helpers such as the Gwangmyeong Hope Dingdong Project Group in addition to the selected delivery company.

jjang@fnnews.com Jang Chung-sik Reporter