The annual charitable activity, launched by the Nantong Restaurant Chamber of Commerce in 2007, has benefited almost 50,0 00 people in the past decade, including elderly residents of nursing homes, migrant workers, sanitation workers and left-behind children.

More than 100 restaurants in the city donated food this year, compared to only 24 participants in 2007. The city’s Red Cross Society also provided financial support.

Despite the economic downturn and stagnation in the city’s catering industry last year, the organizers of the event prepared packages of 10 items of food and daily necessities for each recipient, including 5 liters of cooking oil, a hen, a salted duck, 1 kilogram of hairtail and a small barrel of Baipu yellow rice wine, a specialty of Nantong.

Workers from the Nantong Restaurant Chamber of Commerce ordered and packaged the food to ensure its quality and safety. The variety of gifts has increased from four when the event was launched to 10 now, showing the city’s greater social support for people in need, said Wu Mingjian, vice-chairman of the chamber.

The activity has become known throughout the city as it has developed over the past decade. On Feb 3, the chamber was granted a special contribution award by the Nantong Civilization Office, the city’s Federation of Industry and Commerce and the city branch of the Red Cross Society. More than 260 restaurants were named charitable enterprises at the awards ceremony.

The chamber will continue the activity to encourage society to pay more attention to disadvantaged people and promote the city’s harmonious development, said Pei Haobing, chairman of the chamber.

Xu Shouming, vice-chairman of the Nantong Political Consultative Conference and chairman of the Nantong Federation of Industry and Commerce, said the government has been paying great attention to the livelihoods of disadvantaged people. The increasing number of restaurants that participated in the activity shows the businesses’ awareness of corporate responsibility and traditional virtues, he said.

Xu Jin, who was crippled by polio as a child, said his family had not started preparing food for the Spring Festival so the donated food package came at a good time.

In February 2015, more than 230 members of the restaurant chamber purchased microwave ovens as part of the Spring Festival activity. Sanitation workers are usually unable to access warm water or warm food while on duty so the participating restaurants set up permanent stations where the workers can heat food and beverages in the microwaves.

“The annual activity provides an opportunity for catering businesses to give back to society,” said Zhang Li, general manager of Beichen Hotel, which has been part of the activity for five consecutive years. “It is not only the government’s obligation but also the responsibility of businesses to help people in need.

“We are happy to help families in economic difficulty enjoy a happy Spring Festival,” she said.

The volunteer team for the event has also grown rapidly. The members of the 200-strong team include local residents, Red Cross Society volunteers and employees of the Nantong Federation of Industry and Commerce.

Liu Jingshi, a former deputy director of the Jiangsu provincial Department of Supervision, was among the volunteers. “I realized that there are so many people who need help through this activity. I will participate each year as long as time permits,” said a volunteer surnamed Jiang.

Contact the writers through dingcongrong@chinadaily.com.cn