The National Council on Social Welfare of Thailand (NCSWT) has launched the “Free Meal for the Needy” project during the “Tom Yum Kung” economic depression in Thailand. NCSWT has been providing free meals for lunch on weekday continuously for over seventeen years to the needy. However, the number of the needy has risen notably when the global economic crisis spreads throughout the Southeast Asian countries. NCSWT recognizes the importance of the basic need for the needy and the jobless and always ensures that everyone who comes to seek relief will be fed a good meal to sustain basic needs and good health.
NCSWT received the initial fund from Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the sum of 2 million baht in 1998. Additional donations has been given by H.M. Queen Sirikit and Royal Family, local business companies and individuals. At present, NCSWT distributes about 200 to 400 meals a day. Besides food services, NCSWT also provides counseling services, job placement and occupation fund, hair cut and health care services twice a month.
In 2010, NCSWT received financial support from GE Foundation, USA through the United Way Worldwide in the amount of US$ 40,000 to renovate the kitchen in order to improve and enlarge kitchen facilities to meet established standard and safety measure for the kitchen that has been providing free lunch for the needy.
Before
After
In 2012, NCSWT had set up a Mobile Kitchen Van equipped with full kitchen facilities that can cook free meals to the needy on location. On August 12 th, 2013, NCSWT launched the operation of Mobile Kitchen on the National Mother’s Day at the Suan Amporn Garden and served lunch for 1,200 people. The mobile kitchen van has since been in use to provide free meals to the poor and needy in different locations.
In 2013, the Free Meals for the Needy Project celebrated its 15 th anniversary of the services, NCSWT extended Free Meals for the Needy services to every province during the Month of August to celebrate National Mother’s Day, and also National Father’s Day in December
To celebrate NCSWT’s 55 th anniversary of its establishment in 2015, NCSWT organized activities providing Free Meals for the Needy on May 20-21, 2015 at Setthabut-bamphen School, Minburi District in Bangkok and also on December 1-2, 2015 at Wat Yai Sawang Arom, Pak Kret District in Nonthaburi Province. NCSWT had requested all member organizations in 76 provinces to organize “Free Meals for the Needy” during the month of August to celebrate National Mother’s Day and in December to celebrate National Father’s Day.
Setthabut-bamphen School
Wat Yai Sawang Arom
Free Meals for the Need in 76 provinces
Apart from providing free lunches on weekday to the needy, NCSWT also brought Mobile Kitchen Van to prepare free lunches on location for many occasions, such as Makha Bucha Day at the Phra Main Ground, National Mother’s Day Event and Disabled Day at Suan Amporn Garden and also took part in the Social Welfare Mobile Unit at the communities around Bangkok
