The French Chamber Foundation has chosen the needs of low income workers as its initial core task.

As its first project, the French Chamber Foundation has created the Lunch Club, operated in 3 locations by Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service. Since October 2016, the French Chamber Foundation has opened a new Lunch Club in Kwun Tong operated by Kwun Tong Baptist Swatow Church.

The philosophy behind the Lunch Club stems from the following observations:

• Low income workers tend to spend less money for their lunch and, as a consequence, they eat non balanced food, mostly poor in nutrients.
• Social workers only have rare opportunity to connect with low income workers and to discuss their real needs.
• Many low income workers are not aware of the welfare and career support they could be entitled to.
• Many low income workers have low educational attainment and their lack of skills prevents them from any chance to move up the ladder. 
   

Located in Mong Kok, Wanchai, Tsuen Wan and Kwun Tong, the Lunch Club welcomes low income workers 5 days a week. It serves dietician-supervised meals for a low cost of HK$8.

Moreover, the hotmeal canteen serves as an important entry point for social workers to connect with the Lunch Club members, identify their needs and help them make progress in their working career and consequently be able to improve their livelihood.

Open 5 days a week throughout the year, each Lunch Club centre serves 50 meals a day over lunch time.
 

For HK$8 only, eligible participants enjoy dietician-supervised meals providing them the nutrients they need to go through the day.
 

Moreover, the Lunch Club offers to its members a welcoming environment to interact with peers and to build a community support network. 

Over lunch time or after their working day, the Lunch Club’s members are invited to meet with social workers and to attend workshops/learning sessions giving them the opportunity to enhance their employability and work skills and get better chance to upgrade their jobs.

Additionally, the program offers them opportunities to develop their network and to meet with professionals coming from various industries.
 

The program offers:

• Career guidance sessions
• Work skill training ( specific to each member’s capabilities)
• Job information/job offers sessions
• English & Mandarin language learning

The French Chamber Foundation will be actively involved by matching the Lunch Club members’ training and information needs identified by the social workers withexpertise and offers of support from members of the French Chamber.

Each Lunch  Club organizes a job-matching service collecting vacancies, preparing beneficiaries for interviews and supporting new recruits in their first steps in their new role.

With the support of the French Chamber of Commerce, the Foundation constantly leverages its network to gather suitable job opportunities and involve small and large companies to join this meaningful initiative. 

Interested in knowing more? Contact Servane Delahaye at Servane.delahaye@fccihk.com

Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service

To ensure a successful implementation, the Lunch Club had to find the right location and, more importantly, the right partner. Thanks to Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service, the Lunch Club has opened its first canteen in the BOKSS headquarters in Wanchai.
 

BOKSS was founded in 1978 in Wan Chai district and came into service in 1982.
After more than 30 years of development, they have expanded their services in Kowloon and in the New Territories to meet the changing needs in society.
 

BOKSS provides a wide range of services in areas such as Children and Youth Services, Integrated Family Services, Integrated Elderly Services, Integrated Mental Health Services, Clinical Psychological and Counselling Services, Integrated Training and Employment Services, Catering Services and OK link (emergence mobile service).
 

Visit the website: http://www.bokss.org.hk/ 

Kwun Tong Baptist Swatow Baptist Church

Kwun Tong Swatow Baptist Church is a Christian Church founded in 1952 at the squatter areas of Tiger Tail Village, Lo Fu Ngam. The church located at 11 Tsui Ping Road, Kwun Tong provides services and fellowships for different age groups, serves people and takes care of the needs of the community.

Food Angel

Food Angel is a food rescue and food assistance program launched in 2011 by Bo Charity Foundation with the mission of "WASTE NOT, HUNGER NOT." The program rescues edible surplus food from different sectors of the food industry that would otherwise be disposed of as waste. Following strict safety protocols, the donated food items will then be prepared as nutritious hot meals in their central kitchen and be redistributed to serve the underprivileged communities in Hong Kong.
 

Visit the website http://www.foodangel.org.hk/en/about.php