Food Commons Foundation: Grassroots communities heavily reliant on food aid; calls for targeted poverty alleviation through a "one-dollar-multiple-effects" approach.

(Hong Kong, March 15, 2026) The Food Commons Foundation held a "Step by Step: Food Recycling Walk for Fundraising" event in Tai Wai today. Through tea gatherings, food distribution experiences, and guided community walks, the event aimed to help citizens understand the current situation of food waste and grassroots food assistance in Hong Kong, and to facilitate face-to-face interactions with elderly beneficiaries and their families.

Mr. Leung Kam-tim, Chairman of the Food commons Foundation, Mr. Leung Ka-wai, Sha Tin District Councillor and officiating guest, and Ms. Law Yuen-pui, Chairperson of the Sha Tin Women's Association and Sha Tin District Councillor, a local partner, delivered speeches, emphasizing the importance of community food rescue efforts in the context of poverty and an aging population in Hong Kong. After a group photo, everyone shared snacks prepared by elderly beneficiaries and volunteers using recycled ingredients. Guests, participants, and beneficiaries exchanged ideas, sharing how food assistance has changed their health, finances, and quality of life, allowing participants to experience the humanity and dignity behind "food rescue." They then participated in distributing donated food to residents in need, personally experiencing the spirit of cherishing food and helping others.

Oriental Daily News, March 16, 2026, A6 Edition

[Reported by this newspaper] The Food Commons Foundation held a "Step by Step: Food Save Walkathong" event in Tai Wai yesterday. The food recycling walk started from San Tin Tsuen in Tai Wai, passing through Che Kung Temple, Tai Wai Market, and The Wai. Along the way, experienced recyclers and volunteers explained the "collect and distribute within the area" food recycling model, sharing their daily experiences of "saving food" in markets and shops, recycling, sorting, and distributing food on the same day, transforming potentially discarded food into community support.

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Sunday, March 15, 2026

The Food Commons Foundation held a "Step by Step:Foo dSAve Walkathong" event today (15th). Through tea gatherings, food distribution experiences, and guided community walks, the event aimed to help citizens gain a deeper understanding of the current situation regarding food waste and grassroots food assistance in Hong Kong, and to facilitate face-to-face interactions with beneficiary elderly and their families. The walking route started from San Tin Tsuen in Tai Wai, passing through Che Kung Temple, Tai Wai Market, and The Wai Shopping Centre. Along the way, experienced recyclers and volunteers explained the "collect and distribute in the same area" model, sharing how to collect, sort, and distribute food in markets and shops on the same day, transforming potentially discarded ingredients into community support.

Food Commons Foundation Chairman Leung Kam-tim and Sha Tin District Councillor Law Yuen-pui, Chairperson of the Sha Tin Women's Association and Sha Tin District Councillor, delivered speeches, emphasizing the importance of community food rescue and assistance efforts in the context of poverty and an aging population. Leung Kam-tim pointed out that experiential activities like guided community walks help citizens understand recycling operations and establish the concepts of "leftover food can be reused" and "food conservation starts in the community."

Sending so much gorgeous lettuce to landfills would be such a waste! Thankfully, with the support of donors, this resource has been transformed into a heartfelt gesture.

We, along with the Feeding Hong Kon, the Food Commons @ Shatin's Team, our local partner, the Sha Tin Women's Association, and volunteers, worked together to share these fresh, vibrant green, and nutritious ingredients with our neighbors and the elderly. Seeing everyone's smiles when they received their beautiful lettuce made us so happy!

Readers discuss an opportunity to prioritise poverty alleviation for the city’s most vulnerable

The financial secretary’s 2026-27 budget, reporting a surplus of HK$2.9 billion in the consolidated account, provides a prime opportunity to prioritise targeted poverty alleviation for the city’s most vulnerable. While the government celebrates a return to fiscal health, our frontline data suggests that the social safety net for the grass roots remains under immense strain.

A recent survey conducted by the Food Commons Foundation between January 21 and February 3, involving 103 beneficiaries – most of whom are senior citizens – highlights a looming crisis.

If community food recovery services were suspended due to termination of government subsidies, 68.9 per cent of these individuals warned that their life stress would surge to a “breaking point”. For our elderly on limited budgets, food recovery is not merely an environmental gesture; it is a critical economic lifeline.

We held a winter seminar on December 20th last year at the Lek Yuen Community Hall in Sha Tin. Despite the chilly wind outside, we were truly touched to see so many residents arrive on time, almost filling the entire venue! Thank you for supporting food conservation and taking care of your health!