In Sharing and In Love, Every Little Bit Helps

“Baekseolgi (a type of steamed rice cake) looks so white and delicious.”

That was the sentiment heard at a rice cake store in Majang-dong, SungDong-gu, Seoul on September 25, now Chuseok is only days away.

Lee Suk-cheol, a coordinator of the “Leftovers Love Sharing Community,” exchanged a few words with the owner of the store.

“Of course [it is delicious], This is the same stuff we sell to our customers,” said the owner. “Please give this to the kids while it’s nice and warm.”

The owner has been donating his rice cakes for six or seven years. He even diligently helped to load the rice cakes to a refrigerator van that Lee will drive to deliver the food.

The Leftovers Love Sharing Community is a volunteer group that receives food donations and delivers them to local social welfare facilities or children’s centers.

The community started to provide meal programs at children’s centers around the country in 1984 with donations from the public. Currently, it is helping 20 organizations and 70 facilities across the country.

A Holiday Becomes Merrier When You Share—

Kids in 10 children’s centers in Seoul screamed with joy when they received the colorful arrays of various rice cakes. It was bustling for a bit, while kinds were comparing different rice cakes to find out whose cakes were better.

Even when he saw the kids happy, Lee said, “I feel very sad when some kids say ‘Can I have some more?’ or ‘We don’t have anything like this in my house.’ ”

Since there are many places to deliver food to, he cannot even give as much as he would like to.

After the rice cake delivery, he was busy following a tighter than usual schedule. He had to meet a homemaker at Eunpyung-gu, Seoul, who sends savory pancakes and fried goodies for each holiday in the afternoon, and to go to the Chungryangri Fruit and Vegetable Market to receive unsold vegetables in the evening. He said, “I know the faces of the rice cake store owner couple and the pancake lady, but I don’t know their names. I would at least like to send our newsletter to them, but they don’t want to reveal their names, saying, ‘It is not a loss for me. I just have to prepare a bit more food when I make it for my family.”

Lee Yun-hyung, the Korean Food Sharing Movement Federation’s coordinator, explains, “Holiday food has a special meaning in this country, where very strong family ties have been developed,” and said, “If we can revive our traditional virtues of sharing and sharing the food you have when you have more than needed, the haves and the have-nots can all enjoy a merry holiday.”

Some Neighbors Are Still Shy About Sharing—

Shin Sun-young, a social worker at a seniors’ welfare center in Jongro-gu, Seoul, regretted the situation, saying, “Nowadays, local merchants and small business owners donate more than bigger companies or corporations. However, the donations usually don’t come regularly, and it is very difficult to plan distribution of donated goods ahead.”

Personal donations are also on the decline lately. An internet volunteer society, “Acting Conscience,” used to give “Song Pyun” (a special rice cake for the Chuseok holiday) to the residents of tiny box rooms in Youngdeungpo-go, Seoul. But member were not sure if they could do it again this year, because they could not gather the 100 kilograms of rice needed to make the rice cakes.

Internet society operator Moon Gawn-sik sighed, saying, “We have to make at least 6,000 pieces of Song Pyun to distribute a few couple to each person.”

Pastor Song Jung-geun, who works for the “Town Of The Holy Cross,” which has been sending 20 kilograms of rice and side dishes to seniors living alone for every holiday, was in the deepest state of anxiety.

His wife collapsed in May due to fatigue so she cannot cook this year. On top of that, not many supporters are donating, so he is not even sure if he can visit the seniors he is used to visiting. Pastor Song was worried, saying, “Even during the economic crisis period, some corporations were able to help. But now, I feel that I’ve met a dead end,” adding, “I am relying on a local resident’s donation of one bowl of rice or one side dish.”

Jae-Young Kim jaykim@donga.com