Damyang County in Gwangju has launched the 'Heart ON, Relationship ON' program to assist lonely and isolated residents.
The initiative aims to foster community connections and support daily life recovery through small activities and gatherings, addressing the growing risk of social isolation as single-person households increase and family caregiving declines.
On September 29, 15 participants and officials gathered at a community center in Damyang-eup to prepare sandwiches and share a meal under the theme 'A Meal Together, A Piece of Heart,' engaging in natural conversation.
The program will run six times across three regions—Damyang-eup, Changpyeong-myeon, and Subok-myeon—until October 15.
After the program concludes, officials plan to monitor participants' living conditions, identify those at risk of solitary death, check in on their well-being, and connect them with social relationship recovery programs to continue support against isolation.
Park Jong-won, the county mayor, stated, 'Loneliness and isolation are not just individual issues; they are challenges that the community must address together. We will continue to provide necessary support close to our residents so that small meetings and conversations can lead to new relationships.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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