Canon Hong Kong Corporate Volunteer Team Spreads Love through Distributing Soup to Elderly in Kwai Chung District
Taking traditional Chinese soups is the simplest and most effective way to nurture the body with appropriate ingredients selected according to the seasonal changes to achieve health and wellness effects. Cooking a bowl of soup is more than a meal, it is a symbol of love and sincere care for family members and beloved ones. To safeguard the body from dry weather’s influence at the beginning of Autumn, Canon Hong Kong Corporate Volunteer Team partnered with Food Grace for the first time to participate in its “Share Soup With Love” community project, and prepared nourishing soups using seasonal ingredients for singleton elderly living in Kwai Chung, aiming at spreading love and warmth, and building community cohesion.
On October 19, a team of 16 volunteers gathered at the Food Grace Center in Kwai Chung to prepare the Lotus Root and Chestnuts Soup recommended by a registered nutritionist, and instructed by Food Grace staff. As the dregs of the soup contain high nutritional value, the volunteers carefully chopped all the ingredients into small pieces before putting them into the pot for cooking in order to encourage and facilitate chewing and swallowing for the elderly.
During the cooking period, apart from turning the ingredients in the soup pot from time to time, the volunteers prepared handwritten blessing cards for the elderly to wish them good health and happy life, and fortune bags with rice, noodles and biscuits as well, to supplement their daily dietary needs.
When the Chinese soup was ready to serve, the volunteers immediately poured the hot soup and dregs into thermos bottles and walked to Shek Lei (ii) Estate to visit the registered elderly with the handwritten cards and the fortune bags. The volunteers were warmly welcomed and some of the elderly even opened their doors in advance to wait for the volunteers. In an atmosphere full of laughter and joy, the volunteers friendly chit-chatted with the elderly and expressed sincere greetings to each other.All the volunteers expressed their satisfaction with the soup-making and home visiting service, and highly recognized Food Grace’s continuous efforts in addressing the awareness of sustainable food practices in Hong Kong. By bringing blessings and care to the elderly living alone through a simple bowl of soup, it further reinforces our belief to create a more inclusive and sustainable world together.
