Empowering a Community to Grow with Dreams and Goals l Link Together Initiatives turns 10

A society prospers, when it not only grows its economy but also tends to the wellbeing of the communities that power it.

Since 2013, Link Together Initiatives, Link’s flagship charity and community engagement programme has strived to go beyond supporting only target beneficiaries through its community projects, but also utilises its extensive network to extend social impact to reach like-minded individuals and organisations that strive to achieve common goals, fostering collective growth in society. Here, a young student and an NGO founder each tell a similar story of growing with Link.

Opportunities Seized

“The Link University Scholarship encompasses much more than financial support; it serves as a remarkable platform for me to gain deeper insights into society.”

Chan Wing-yin, a Year 3 history student at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) adheres to the motto, “opportunity favours the prepared mind”. As a history major with a minor in cultural management, Wing-yin has meticulously equipped herself to pursue a dream career in the museum sector following her graduation, with an ultimate goal of contributing to the enrichment of others’ understanding and appreciation of history through engaging museum experiences. One of the means she has found to propel herself on this path, is applying for the Link University Scholarship.

As a two-time awardee of the Link University Scholarship, Wing-yin sees many academic and practical advantages that the annual scholarship of $20,000 offers; the major one being alleviating her financial burden, which has enabled her to focus on working towards her aspirations.

“Without having to juggle part-time jobs to make ends meet, I have been able to engage in more extracurricular activities and broaden my horizons.”

Wing-yin currently serves as a student docent at the Art Museum of CUHK, and recently became one of the 108 student ambassadors at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, where she acquired valuable practical skills, and gained awareness of her strengths and areas to improve. In her spare time, Wing-yin volunteers at a local community centre, where she provides tutoring to children from non-Chinese backgrounds and low-income families. Additionally, she learns sign language to communicate with the hearing impaired and participates in community events organised by Link.

Among her most cherished memories, Wing-yin recollects an eye-opening experience at a Link Scholars Alumni event where she and her fellow volunteers helped collect surplus food from grocers at Nam Cheong Place Market to donate to Food Angel. “I’ve found that many grocers have a big heart. They generously donate vegetables and fruits that are still fresh and sellable to help those in need, which has motivated me to take part in volunteer work for the homeless."

“These experiences altogether have imparted clarity to my life goals and aspirations that prepared me to step out of school and into society.” Said Wing-yin.

The perfect partnership exists

This year marks Link’s eighth consecutive year in supporting Bo Charity Foundation’s food recycling and assistance programme, Food Angel, through Link Together Initiatives. As Gigi Tung, Founder of Food Angel took a trip down memory lane, she described Food Angel’s relationship with Link as “the perfect partnership”.

“Link’s many fresh markets and shopping centres are located at the centre of residential communities, with an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables supplied by grocers in these locations daily. This provides an excellent platform for charitable organisations like Food Angel to connect with the community. Thanks to Link, we have been able to increase our daily surplus food recycled by many folds, allowing us to produce up to 20,000 nutritious meals and food packs a day, benefitting more people in need.”

Aside from collecting edible fruits and vegetables from over 400 grocers at Link’s 39 fresh markets, Food Angel has set up 15 food collection boxes at Link’s shopping centres to facilitate public food donations, introduced innovative pop-up stores last year, and opened Food Angel’s first concept store in Hong Kong - “Rice Boy Station” this year to further promote a culture of cherishing food and sustainable lifestyle in communities.

Gigi hopes to establish stronger connections within the community, working hand-in-hand with Link to achieve these goals. Building upon the fruits of the Link-Food Angel long-term partnership, Gigi revealed exciting future plans. “We plan to open up more Rice Boy Stations in different districts and set up 24-hour self-service stations to offer more convenient and user-friendly services to those who come for food.”

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