HONG KONG, May 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hong Kong's economy is being hit hard by COVID-19, with the unemployment rate climbing to a 10-year record high. In view of the difficulties faced by underprivileged groups, Hang Lung is partnering with three organizations to distribute food packs to more than 2,000 local households between May and July, drawing funding from the "Hang Lung Novel Coronavirus Relief Fund".
Mr. Weber Lo, Chief Executive Officer of Hang Lung Properties, said, "COVID-19 has had a deep impact on all aspects of life in Hong Kong, and many people are struggling as a result of having insufficient working hours or being laid off. Working with a social enterprise and two non-profits, Hang Lung is providing healthy food and daily necessities to those in need, together with moral support from our corporate volunteers. This is the next level of support to Hong Kong's most needy people, following our earlier donation of protective anti-epidemic items. This all reflects a key corporate value at Hang Lung – caring for the community."
The three partner organizations are Delicious Express, Hans Andersen Club and Lok Kwan Social Service. Hang Lung's partnership with Delicious Express see fresh food packs being delivered to beneficiaries of 13 welfare organizations and schools in Yuen Long, Tuen Mun, Sham Shui Po, Tai Kok Tsui, Shek Kip Mei and Kwai Chung districts, covering low-income families, sub-divided unit residents, ragpickers, and elderly people living alone. By offering healthy, fresh food to people in need, we hope to help them stay strong and well during this critical time. Hang Lung also joins forces with Hans Andersen Club to distribute food and daily commodities to underprivileged families in the Wong Tai Sin area, as well as organizing workshops to help parents and children find ways to relieve their stress.
The practice of social distancing means most regular volunteer services have been cancelled, and that has left many of the people most in need of support more vulnerable than ever. Hang Lung is therefore launching a new mode of volunteering, working with our long-term partner, Lok Kwan Social Service, to pair elderly single people in Kowloon East with their corporate volunteers, who make weekly phone calls to share health tips and provide remote companionship. Volunteers are also preparing DIY protective items and distributing them in conjunction with food and masks for the elderly. As well as taking care of elderly people's physical and mental health, Hang Lung is providing meal coupons while the elderly canteen service is suspended.
About Delicious Express
Delicious Express was established in 2017 as a social enterprise, aiming to bring healthy dietary habits to Hong Kong people, and provide job opportunities to underprivileged people, including women with low levels of education, and people with mental and physical disabilities. In 2018, Delicious Express launched the "Gift Voucher for Underprivileged" scheme, with the support of corporates, to offer fresh and healthy food packs to low-income families and elderly people to relieve some of the financial burden they face.
About Hans Andersen Club
Hans Andersen Club (HAC) was established in 1963, and is a pioneer of creative storytelling and games, focused on promoting reading-related activities. Underprivileged children and families are targeted for support, and the club provides training and readily accessible resources on storytelling. The organization's goal is to enable children to enjoy holistic development and to adapt to the community.
About Lok Kwan Social Service
Established in 2000, Lok Kwan Social Service (LKSS) emphasizes people-oriented services and works towards the principles of empowering others through self-subsistence. One of its community service centers in Tsz Wan Shan provides diverse services such as food assistance service, children and youth development and poverty alleviation development targeting the disadvantaged, including children and young people from low-income families as well as the elderly.
About Hang Lung Properties
Hang Lung Properties Limited (stock code: 00101), a constituent stock of the Hang Seng Index, Hang Seng SCHK High Dividend Low Volatility Index, Hang Seng Low Volatility Index, Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Index in Hong Kong, and a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Asia Pacific Index, is a leading real estate developer operating in Hong Kong and Mainland China. Boasting a diversified portfolio of investment properties in Hong Kong, the company has progressively branched out into the Mainland since the 1990s, with our distinctive footprint now fully established in Shanghai, Shenyang, Jinan, Wuxi, Tianjin, Dalian, Kunming, Wuhan and Hangzhou, with all the Mainland projects carrying the "66" brand. As Hang Lung's business continues to grow, the company is set to develop into a highly admired national commercial property developer in China.
For more information, please visit www.hanglung.com.
Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200526/2813036-1-a?lang=0
Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200526/2813036-1-b?lang=0
Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200526/2813036-1-c?lang=0
