******************************************************
Permanent Secretary for Transport and Housing (Housing), Mr DW Pescod, showed his support for 2 000 volunteers on a mission to bring warmth to elderly public housing tenants at the kick-off ceremony for the "Volunteer for Seniors Day 2012" today (January 8).
The annual event "Volunteer for Seniors Day", jointly organised by HOPE Worldwide and the Housing Authority (HA), was in its sixteenth year. Today, some 2 000 volunteers visited over 1 000 elderly people living alone in more than 50 public housing estates and brought them "fortune bags" to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
Officiating at the ceremony, Mr Pescod said that this meaningful event not only showed the elderly our respect but also brought home the message that "we care". He also thanked the co-organising parties for their commitment to this worthy cause.
At present, about 40 per cent of the elderly population in Hong Kong are residing in the HA's public housing estates. Through the years, "ageing in place" has been the guiding principle for the HA's policy making and public housing design. The elderly and the younger generations are also encouraged to take care of each other through different allocation and transfer schemes.
Ends/Sunday, January 8, 2012
Issued at HKT 14:18
NNNN
