Community Food Delivery on Time in Hualien

Project Team

Leader: Hsu Bo-Hsuan (AIRI Fellow)

Background and Introduction

Hualien County, Taiwan is facing complex challenges including an outflow of the younger population, a high proportion of elderly residents, and vulnerabilities among local farmers. Hsu Bo-Hsuan, a sociology student with expertise in social innovation, proposed the project “Community Food Delivery on Time” to addresses these challenges while fostering a sustainable and inclusive community.

The project seeks to bridge gaps in integrated long-term care for the elderly by procuring surplus or goodwill food from small farmers and supermarkets to engage the elderly population in cooking activities. The project empowers vulnerable families within the community and creates productive opportunities for the elderly, facilitating a community-based support system. Simultaneously, it supports local farmers by providing fair market opportunities, overcoming challenges related to scale and production.

Project Site

Hualien County, Taiwan

Proposed Project Actions and Deliverables

• Engage local youth in cross-generational activity experiences alongside the elderly at the Care Station.
• Implement cooking training and practical testing with local seniors and sell foods to disadvantaged families at affordable prices.
• Formally integrate local small farmers, supermarkets, and stores into the project.
• Expand the impact by recruiting more local residents and establishing a training mechanism.