Taipei is to expand its weekly free milk program to cover children aged two to 12 from next month, the city’s Department of Education said yesterday.
The expanded coverage of the “Fresh Milk Weekly 2.0” program would cover children whose household registration is in Taipei, even if they attend school outside of the city, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) told a news conference at Yanping Elementary School.
The program is currently only offered to children who are enrolled in local elementary schools or preschools, but those studying outside Taipei or attending the city’s international schools are not eligible, even if they are registered as Taipei residents.
Photo: CNA
Eligible children can claim one free milk or soymilk product each week using their student ID card at four major convenience store chains — 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life and OK Mart — as well as supermarket chains PX Mart and Simple Mart, the department said.
In Taipei, elementary-school students and preschoolers are issued ID cards that are bundled with an EasyCard, commonly used for public transportation, for making small purchases or as a library card.
The program is currently only available during the 40 weeks of the school year and not on school holidays, and while parents can claim the milk on behalf of their children, they can only choose from 13 milk and 15 soymilk products covered by the program.
However, beginning next month, the offering would be available year-round, while the options would be expanded to include 18 milk varieties and 18 soymilk products, Chiang said, adding that Carrefour Market outlets would also be participating in the program.
The program, which was launched in April, initially targeted an estimated 175,000 preschoolers and elementary-school students, but from next month would cover 208,000 children, department data showed.
Chiang said the program is overwhelmingly popular, with 87 percent of Taipei residents responding to a poll expressing support for the initiative, while 95 percent of families with children of elementary-school age or younger said they approve of it.
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