The Hong Kong charities and communities to support this Christmas

The Ginkgo House Love Project supports the underprivileged and elderly by distributing food and spreading love. From as little as $38, the organisation can send a nutritious meal along with a hot soup for the vulnerable. Beyond just providing food, Gingko House also hires senior citizens to run the restaurants in Hong Kong, giving them purpose and a means to support themselves.

You can support the organisation’s hiring of the underprivileged elderly – $50 will support one hour’s worth of work wages, $900 for 18 hours, and a donation of $5,000 for 100 hours. Otherwise, you can consider purchasing their handmade Christmas cookies which come in either low-sugar or regular versions for $128 per box, or even get your Christmas dinner catered by the organisation featuring 10 dishes such as whole turkey with sides, apple-glazed ham, Spanish-style seafood and vegetables, and more. Their Christmas meals are available from $1,528 for four to six people, up to $10,878 for 40 to 50 people portions.

Pioneering shelter services for migrant women workers, Bethune House offers more than just temporary housing, with medical support, education, and training for skills and advocacy. The non-profit organisation fights against abuse, mistreatment and exploitation while also providing funds to sustain lives to the most marginalised and unsupported sectors of the community.

Bethune House is currently facing a shortage in funds as anticipated grants have fallen through, so you can help save them from the possibility of closure and ensure that distressed migrant women in Hong Kong can still be cared for by donating to their Save Our Shelter (SOS) Drive.

Feeding Hong Kong is also another organisation that aims to kill two birds with one stone by feeding those in need instead of letting resources end up as food waste. A small donation of just $150 can already help them source, pack, and deliver one Santa Sack food pack to those in need, which includes essentials like rice, cooking oil, and noodles, as well as a treat or two.

You can also help by donating surplus food from your own pantry to their Yau Tong food bank or at community points across the city, or even donating some of your Asia Miles to be converted into monetary value in support of their efforts – for example, 1,970 Asia Miles points is the equivalent of giving 10 meals to Hong Kong’s vulnerable communities.

With an aim to tackle homelessness, Impact HK helps those who have lost their jobs and are therefore in a state of homelessness. If you’d be interested in helping those out in the cold during winter, then look to The Kindness Campaign, which directly supports Impact HK’s efforts to provide food and accommodation. A $500 donation can provide 25 hot, nutritious meals, while $800 can give someone safe shelter for four nights.

The rich-poor divide can often be painfully apparent in food wastage. Those with a little extra in their pockets or cabinets can help others who can’t even get by with three meals by donating dry food items through Food Angel’s collection boxes, collection machines, and food station drop-off points. This social charity also rescues edible surplus food from industries and re-prepares them as nutritious meals through the central kitchen, which can then be redistributed and served to underprivileged communities throughout Hong Kong. You can also consider volunteering at their Sham Shui Po location to help with food prep or meal serving.

You may not think it, but Hong Kong actually has approximately 1.65 million people living under the poverty line, so HandsOn runs activities that mobilises citizens to support various local charities that are struggling with resources so they can better serve their communities. Think of them as the helping hand behind other charitable organisations when they need a supportive push. Do your part in this ecosystem of over 100 Hong Kong charities by donating what you can, or keep an eye out for HandsOn events.

Located in Sham Shui Po, the poorest district in Hong Kong, J Life Foundation is working to mitigate the cycle of child poverty by reducing cross-generational poverty in low-income households. Apart from tangible support in the form of food and other material goods, the organisation also offers educational support to underprivileged families. If you’re not in a position to make a monetary contribution, you can also consider donating food, new clothing, used furniture, electrical appliances, and books, or volunteering your time and efforts to their cause.