Taiwan food company launches plan to uplift underprivileged students

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Creation Food Co. (開元食品), one of Taiwan's most-respected food companies, has introduced a program to provide access to quality education and nutrition to underprivileged students across the country.

For the 13th consecutive year, Creation Food will take concrete action to address the challenges of poverty faced by children of low-income families. In collaboration with the non-profit organization Taiwan Fund for Children and Families (TFCF), the company is donating bursaries of NT$1 million (US$35,724) and bottles of Lian Fresh Milk to rural schools this year, which is expected to benefit over 1,000 students.

A short charity video titled, "Sending love to flip the future," also premiered this week to raise public awareness of the day-to-day problems that disadvantaged youths have to overcome. The film was adapted from a real story of a single-parent skip-generation family.

TFCF executive director Betty Ho (何素秋) pointed out that about 65.2 percent of the families supported by the organization are single-parent, while 11.2 percent are skip-generation households (raised by grandparents). She said the children have been studying hard despite their environment and that Creation Food's donation can provide them with an opportunity to "flip their future."

Taiwanese-American travel show host Janet Hsieh (謝怡芬), who serves as a promotion ambassador for Lian Fresh Milk, said Creation Food has continued its mission to bring love and warmth to underprivileged families. She encouraged other corporations and members of society to join the cause.

With over 60 service bases throughout Taiwan, Creation Food has donated more than 260,000 bottles of Lian Fresh Milk to 500 rural schools around the country since 2009. The company said it has a responsibility to give to those in need whenever it can.