A vendor in the eastern part of Taichung has been helping children of disadvantaged families by giving them free bowls of noodle soup, and estimates that more than 5,000 bowls have been donated so far.
The vendor, surnamed Lai (賴), said she was inspired by one of her customers, who paid for 100 bowls of noodles for schoolchildren from disadvantaged families.
The customer told her that the widening wealth gap was causing many children to go hungry because their parents are still at work when they arrive home from school.
Photo: Lin Liang-che, Taipei Times
Lai said she now helps out, with the assistance of teachers from Da Chih Elementary School and Dong Feng Junior High School.
Lai provides the teachers with vouchers that they can give to students in need, who can redeem them for a hot meal.
To encourage more people to help such students, Lai has erected a board at her stand showing the number of bowls bought by customers for students.
She says she makes up the difference between the donations paid for by customers and the vouchers turned in.
“I grew up in a poor family, and I know the difficulties of poor families,” Lai said, adding that she hopes her small bowls of noodle soup provide some help.
Some students are such frequent customers that Lai recognizes them on sight, so they do not need to show their vouchers, she said.
“The number of donors has been increasing, and I have been able to expand the noodles program to help not only students, but also nearby families who are in need,” Lai said.
A customer eating at the stand surnamed Chen (陳) said he pays for four extra bowls every time he visits. It is his small way of helping children and families to have at least one hot meal a day, he said.
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