Recently, elderly residents in Jinshan District, Shanghai, received special "caring New Year's Eve meals" as part of a charitable initiative. Among them was an elderly man living alone in Zhujing Town, who expressed gratitude for the annual delivery, noting that this year's menu was even more diverse while retaining its delicious taste.

With the departure of the final delivery vehicle, the 2026 "Caring New Year's Eve Meal" charity project successfully concluded, providing festive meals to 1,399 elderly residents in the district, including those who are advanced in age, living alone, or facing mobility challenges.

In Hongling Residential Area, senior resident Jin Lianhua eagerly awaited the volunteers' arrival. Upon receiving the meal package, she immediately opened it to find traditional dishes such as white-cut chicken, handmade meatballs, and boiled grass shrimp. Jin mentioned that she particularly enjoyed the tender, non-greasy meatballs from previous years and typically stores the meals in her refrigerator to enjoy gradually as the Spring Festival approaches.

The project is organized by the Jinshan District Office of the Shanghai Charity Foundation and supported by the爱心企业 Shanghai Guangyuan Catering Center. This year, the initiative expanded its reach, offering a "9+1" customized meal box—featuring nine senior-friendly dishes and a decorative "福" (fortune) pendant—to symbolize an extra dish and an additional blessing.

Despite the peak season for catering services nearing the New Year, staff at Shanghai Guangyuan Catering Center worked diligently, starting early and working overtime to ensure timely delivery. According to Li Changhong, chairman of the center, meals were prepared fresh the day before and delivered early the next morning to ensure quality.

The menu was specially designed to meet the dietary and nutritional needs of the elderly, emphasizing low salt, low oil, and reduced sugar for healthier consumption. Liu Yuqin, deputy director of the Zhujing Town Community Affairs Service Center, expressed hopes that the initiative would help elderly residents feel the warmth and festivity of the season. Moving forward, the town plans to explore additional elderly care services to extend support to more seniors in need.