OREANDA-NEWS. September 16, 2011. CLP Power Hong Kong Limited (CLP) announced the launch of the Hotmeal Canteen project in partnership with the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS). First piloted in Sham Shui Po, the Hotmeal Canteen programme aims to provide over 30,000 dietician-supervised hot meals in the coming 12 months for needy residents who have limited access to healthy square meals, reported the press-centre of CLP.

At the programme launching ceremony officiated by Mr Richard Lancaster, Managing Director of CLP Power; Mr Patrick Nip, Director of Social Welfare, HKSAR Government; Ms Christine Fang, Chief Executive Officer of HKCSS and Mr Johnny Tsang, Chief Executive Officer of Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service, Hotmeal Canteen treated over 150 members from the community to a hearty, nutritious luncheon in celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival, an important Chinese occasion to bring  family members together to enjoy the brightest moon of the year.

Hit hard by soaring food costs worldwide, low-income families in Hong Kong are not left with much money to spare after paying the rent, medical bills and tuition fees. The Hotmeal Canteen programme aims at addressing the risk of malnutrition among the underprivileged by providing dietician-supervised hot meals for low-income residents in Sham Shui Po. The programme will be operated by Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service, a member of HKCSS, through its social enterprise Lily House Restaurant to prepare the meals.

Mr Richard Lancaster, Managing Director of CLP Power, said, “The Hotmeal Canteen programme represents a successful four-party initiative bringing together the corporate sector, social welfare organisations, social enterprise and general public. Not just providing healthy meals, the project also delivers on CLP’s corporate value on community care by offering career counselling and skill training designed to improve livelihoods of the participants. We hope that our well-received Hotmeal Canteen can become a caring, heart-warming initiative that provides more than just hot meals in the future.”

Ms Christine Fang, Chief Executive of HKCSS, said, “We are honoured to share CLP’s vision to promote the concept of “neighbourhood” canteen by operating the Hotmeal Canteen programme that provides low-cost hot meals for the needy.”

According to the latest survey conducted by HKCSS in 2010, of every 1,000 citizens in Hong Kong, 181 have fallen below the poverty line, and the number of financially-strapped people who have difficulty securing three meals a day has continued to soar. A report by the Census and Statistics Department in 2010 also shows Sham Shui Po, a district with a population of close to 370,000, with 20% of the population being elderly people aged 65 or above, as having one of the lowest median monthly household incomes among the SAR’s 18 districts.

Under the Hotmeal Canteen programme, eligible participants only need to pay HKD 10 for a meal with rice, a dish and a bowl of soup. Those with financial difficulties may enjoy hot meals for free. All income collected will go into the fund to benefit more needy residents. By leveraging the project, Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service will provide participants with career counselling, skill training and other related family services to help improve their livelihood and rebuild their social network.

Public donations to the Hotmeal Canteen programme are welcome. From now until 31 August 2012, CLP will match every HKD 100 donation received dollar-for-dollar, up to a maximum of HKD 400,000. All the donations will go into the fund for the project in support of canteen operation and more low-income families.

For further details, please visit: www.clp.com.hk/hotmeal.