Across Seodaemun and Mapo districts in Seoul, there are moments when help is needed—not loudly, not dramatically, but right on time.
Throughout 2025, the Shincheonji Volunteer Group Seodaemun Branch focused on exactly that kind of support.
Over the course of one year, volunteers provided services to 2,775 residents across 21 locations, carrying out welfare support, environmental cleanup, safety awareness, and emotional care programs tailored to everyday life.
A Simple Principle: Timely Help Where It’s Needed
Rather than hosting large one-time events, the Seodaemun branch centered its work on continuity and relevance. Their guiding idea was clear: meaningful service means reaching people when and where help is actually needed. This approach shaped all of their activities—from regular donations to hands-on citizen campaigns.
Monthly Giving Through the “Chak-Chak Campaign”
One of the branch’s core programs was the “Chak-Chak Campaign”, a monthly donation initiative focused on practical necessities.
Volunteers regularly supported:
Mapo Happiness Sharing Food Market No. 2, providing high-demand items such as cooking oil, sugar, salt, ramen, flour, and vinegar
Seodaemun home-care senior welfare organizations, delivering rice cake soup ingredients to help reduce care gaps during holidays
Staff members at partner institutions shared that donations had declined due to economic challenges, making the consistent outreach especially meaningful. Several noted that the volunteers’ preparation and coordination felt “professional,” and that repeated visits helped build trust.
Going Beyond Delivery: Supporting the Entire Process
For the Seodaemun branch, service did not end with handing over supplies.
Each visit included:
Reviewing on-site movement flow
Using checklists to prevent omissions
Preparing signage and layouts in advance
This reduced the workload for welfare staff and allowed beneficiaries to receive support comfortably. Some institutions remarked that volunteers arrived early, helped with setup and transport, and worked seamlessly with local staff.
Safety and Awareness Campaigns in Daily Spaces
Seasonal campaigns were another major focus.
In spring, volunteers held wildfire prevention campaigns along the cherry blossom paths of Mt. Ansan. Activities included litter cleanup, wildfire risk awareness stickers, and citizen participation programs, along with message cards expressing appreciation for firefighters.
From summer through fall, the team carried out anti-smoking and environmental campaigns in the Sinchon–Yonsei-ro area. Through quizzes, guidance on non-smoking zones, and small outreach items, volunteers encouraged participation while also prioritizing safety measures such as heatwave preparedness.
Emotional Care That Left the Deepest Impression
In the area of senior care, the “Baekse Manse” (Senior Wellness Support) program stood out.
At Hyorim Day Care Center, volunteers organized:
According to on-site feedback, seniors clapped, laughed, and expressed gratitude through direct interaction—highlighting that emotional connection can be just as important as material support.
Building Trust Through Consistency
A volunteer leader explained that each month’s activities were planned based on feedback from beneficiaries and partner institutions. This allowed the team to adjust services and respond more accurately to real needs.
By focusing on steady presence rather than visibility, the Seodaemun branch emphasized what it called “the continuity of sincerity.”
In 2025, their work showed that community trust is not built through grand gestures, but through repeated, reliable actions that quietly support daily life.
Source: https://vo.la/XfhTrp9
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