An 82-year-old Taichung resident celebrated his birthday for the first time on Saturday, when volunteers from the Huashan Social Welfare Foundation brought cake and noodles to the van in which he lives in Wufeng District (霧峰).
The man, who goes by his last name, Chiu (邱), is unmarried and has no children, and has never celebrated his birthday or Father’s Day, which was yesterday, Chiu said.
When volunteers visited him to celebrate the two occasions, he teared up and said that he was very moved by the gesture.
Photo: Tsai Shu-yuan, Taipei Times
“This is my first time eating a cake made especially for my birthday — and my first time experiencing the joy of Father’s Day,” Chiu said.
He lives out of a modified van because he cannot afford renting an apartment, Chiu said, adding that he uses restrooms in parks or gas stations for personal hygiene.
When he parks his van under a bridge or in a parking lot, he is often told to leave, Chiu said.
Photo: Tsai Shu-yuan, Taipei Times
Knowing the difficulties Chiu is facing, the foundation said that it “wanted to help him celebrate his birthday — which happens to be on the eve of Father’s Day.”
As Chiu is illiterate, the foundation added a children’s birthday card to the gifts, it said.
The foundation’s mission is to help underprivileged people and people with dementia, it said, adding that it funds its work through individual donations and corporate sponsorships.
Photo courtesy of Huashan Social Welfare Foundation
However, the foundation this year received fewer donations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it said.
The foundation hopes that more people would participate in its “Send Love Home” program, which takes donations of NT$40 per day to help disadvantaged people and people with dementia.
One of the program’s recipients is a 70-year-old resident of Hsinchu County’s Beibu Township (北埔), the foundation said.
The man, surnamed Jhuang (莊), has cataracts in both eyes and atrophy in his knees, yet takes care of his son, who is blind, it added.
Jhuang’s son reached out to the foundation to ask for help celebrating Father’s Day with his dad, it said, adding: “Many children take the help they receive from their parents for granted, but Jhuang’s son recognized the importance of his father’s hard work and support.”
Foundation volunteers on Saturday also brought a cake and a card for Jhuang’s son to present to his father.
The card read: “We share laughter and grow old together.”
After he received the gifts, Jhuang was moved to tears, and his son hugged him tightly.
The foundation said it is happy that the pandemic has eased its grip on Taiwan so that it can resume visits to those in need.
“It is our pleasure to help the elderly, and we hope the public can help us in this mission,” it said.
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