HONG KONG (SE): MercyHK, a charity group founded by Oblate Father John Wotherspoon and others will turn one of their centres into a canteen so that needy people can receive free meals and spread the word of God. The charity group is now raising funds to set up the facility and support its initial operation. The target is to raise two million dollars before June this year.
The organisation hopes that the profits can be used to support its work. The centre, on 191 Temple Street, sold secondhand goods for two years and has been a distribution centre for needy people.
The canteen plans to employ former prisoners to help them integrate into society. Currently, the group offers legal advice, prison visits, food, clothing, housing, transportation subsidies, and job referrals to rehabilitated persons at the centre.
Father Wotherspoon says that within a week after the fundraising project was announced, half a million dollars was raised. He thanked people who have been generous in supporting their projects.
He explained that the group had started the preparation process already because it is important to improve their services for people without housing and those in need as soon as possible. He also hopes the canteen can provide a place for Mainland tourists to take their meals, as there is a shortage of such places.
The organisation hopes that the profits can be used to support its work. The centre, on 191 Temple Street, sold secondhand goods for two years and has been a distribution centre for needy people
Eddie Chan Chi-kong, director of MercyHK, said the canteen would mainly offer different boiled or fried dumplings as they are popular and easier to prepare. He said the monthly expenses of the group is around $500,000, which is entirely covered by donations, so it is necessary to increase its source of funding.
According to its service report for the past year, the group has three permanent and three part-time staff members. It also subsidises the accommodation and daily meals for people without homes, and is currently managing and renting six residential units and 18 guesthouse places. During the year, 60 street sleepers, 365 stranded foreign domestic helpers, 75 refugees, and some drug addicts were given housing subsidies. 225 cards for free meals per day were issued to those in need. Furthermore, it helped over 10 prisoners receive an education.
The group also offers free medical consultation and medicine for needy people every Wednesday.
The group has started preparation for the restaurant by applying for a licence, dealing with decoration work and looking for sources of supplies. Chan said he is grateful that a number of its service users or working partners are well-versed in these fields and are able to give support
In light of the group’s constant large expenditures, Chan said it needs a steady income. “After looking into its feasibility, running a restaurant can be a way to increase our source of income so that we can better support the mission of MercyHK,” he said. He added that supporting a social enterprise like the canteen is important as it helps the needy lead a better and independent life.
The group has started preparation for the restaurant by applying for a licence, dealing with decoration work and looking for sources of supplies. Chan said he is grateful that a number of its service users or working partners are well-versed in these fields and are able to give support.
The group operates three service centres on No. 191 Temple Street, a “Doctor Jesus Centre” nearby for patients to gather, as well as a new MercyHK Centre on 557 Nathan Road for different Church activities.
The group is applying for permission from the diocese to organise Mass at its Nathan Road centre. Father Wotherspoon said he hopes Masses, particularly a Mandarin Mass, can be held at the centre at the end of the year, and he is thankful for the support of Father Stephen Ip Ting-kwok, parish priest of St. Paul’s Parish, Yau Ma Tei.
Interested people are welcome to deposit directly to MercyHK’s Bank of China account: 012-581-2-022043-4 under the name of MercyHK2020 Limited. They can then send the deposit slip to the director of MercyHK, Eddie Chan, via email at echan2004@hotmail.com or WhatsApp +852 98498546 for a receipt.
Registered in 2020 as a tax-exempt charitable organisation, MercyHK Limited provides various services, such as subsidies to the homeless, distributing daily necessities to low-income groups, etc.
