As wait-list demand grows for the "Just Give" program, which provides food support without income verification, the government will overhaul its operating system.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said on the 8th, "Ahead of the transition to the main program on May 18, we will reorganize the operating system of the Just Give pilot program."
The Just Give program is a system that allows people facing a sudden livelihood crisis to receive necessary food and daily necessities without separate application procedures or income verification.
The program has been in place since December last year, and as of the 1st of this month, 129 business sites are operating in 68 cities, counties, and districts nationwide. Since the pilot program began, a total of 78,251 people have been supported, and 7,686 of them were connected to eup, myeon, and dong welfare centers to proactively identify households in crisis and link them to welfare services.
However, at some business sites, wait times have lengthened as the number of users with lower need for support increased. For example, Incheon had been operating one metropolitan pilot business site for two hours every Wednesday, but the waitlist swelled and many users with relatively lower need reportedly used it. The site will end operations today.
To resolve these issues, the ministry will review the operating status of business sites and refine the guidelines. It will require users to complete a self-checklist on their first Just Give visit and strengthen on-site counseling.
It will also strengthen linkages with relevant ministries and local welfare resources to expand support for vulnerable groups. In cooperation with the Korean National Police Agency, suspected households in crisis will be connected with business sites, and the discovery of crisis households will be expanded by working with local welfare networks such as "Good Neighbors."
In addition, on-site inspections of business sites nationwide will be made routine, and consulting will be provided where operational improvements are needed. Additional measures will be pursued for business sites with insufficient improvements.
Minister Jung Eun-kyeong of the Ministry of Health and Welfare said, "As we approach the May 18 launch of the main program, we will continue to refine operating standards so that swift and appropriate support can be provided to those who need help."