Social welfare groups ask for help amid ‘worst year ever’ for donations

Описание: Charities in Taiwan are struggling as donations fizzle out amid the pandemic. Some, like the Genesis Social Welfare Foundation, have been forced to cut events like its annual banquet for disadvantaged groups. Meanwhile, the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families has found itself with no choice but to limit the number of participants at its annual garden fair. The public is asked to give even a little to help the disadvantaged groups in Taiwan.

For the past three years, actor Vicky Tseng has been the ambassador for an annual banquet for low-income households organized by the Genesis Social Welfare Foundation. On Thursday, she tackled the challenge of being store manager for a day, helping single mothers sell roast sweet potatoes on the street. Tseng took the opportunity to call on businesses and organizations to donate more to the charity.

Vicky Tseng
Entertainer
Especially because of the pandemic, donations have been reduced. So there’s less help going out disadvantaged groups. I would like to let everyone know that even a small amount of money helps. We can all do our part.

The Genesis Social Welfare Foundation says that amid the pandemic, donations have disappointed expectations. The foundation has been forced to call off its annual banquet for the first time in more than 30 years. Instead, it will be giving out gifts and red envelopes with NT$500 to people in need.

Li Ting-ting
Genesis Social Welfare Foundation
We can’t hold a banquet event because of pandemic concerns.

Meanwhile, the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families, which usually receives large material donations at the end of the year, says donations are scarce this time around.

Lin Hsiu-feng
Taiwan Fund for Children and Families
This has been the worst year for fundraising. In the first quarter, we posted a shortfall of 34%. We’ve just had a shortfall of about 18% in October.

The Taiwan Fund for Children and Families says donations dropped by NT$70 million year-on-year at the height of the pandemic in May and April. Meanwhile, the Child Welfare League Foundation says it received 30% less than last year. That’s a shortfall of NT$70 million. October is usually the best time to raise funds for the Genesis Social Welfare Foundation, but this year, they raised NT$3 million less than the same month in 2019.

Genesis Social Welfare Foundation
Li Ting-ting
We raised nearly NT$3 million less this October than October last year. Each month, in terms of service volume, we have 800 people, so we need about NT$40 million in funding each month.

Genesis Social Welfare Foundation has canceled its banquet, but the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families is going ahead with its annual garden fair, albeit with a limited number of participants. The groups are appealing to the public to give even a little to help disadvantaged families get through the tough winter.