英文 English 
Taipei neighborhood chief funds food bank with unclaimed items lost on the MRT (2014/02/05)

A community-based food bank in Taipei helps provide mid-to-low-income residents with necessities. Part of its inventory and funding comes from serving as a clearing house for unclaimed items lost on the Taipei MRT.

This looks like a supermarket but is actually a food bank in Zhongzheng District, Taipei. It provides mid-to-low-income residents with food and other vital goods. One method to acquire items is through trade.

Lin Ming-Kuan
Zhongzheng District Chief
If there’s a lot of rice which you can’t finish, you have to be careful because it can attract bugs. So, for example, if you only need three bags of rice, you can bring the rest and exchange it for milk powder or crackers. This is the best way to avoid waste.

Upon opening an account, food bank users are given points that can be redeemed for items. To get more points, account holders can perform volunteer service.

Fang He-sheng
Zhongcin Neighborhood Chief
This gives mid-to-low-income people more confidence. People can pick up necessities at this bank, and they can exchange work for what they need. We support this with the many lost items that are recovered. It’s good that nothing is wasted.

Several items that were lost on the MRT are seen here. Some are sold to operate the bank, and others become part of the bank’s inventory. Their reuse makes it easier for the disadvantaged to get through hard times.
 
     
     
 
中文 Chinese  
幸福銀行

台北捷運上遺失的物品,如果一段時間沒人領取,就會有一位中正區里長來整理義賣,而這位里長還因此將這筆義賣所得用來開幸福銀行,讓弱勢族群可以來領取食物或生活物資,來看看這家 幸福銀行!

這裡不是超市,而是中正區的幸福食物銀行,提供中低收入戶,可以來領取物資或是換取商品。

[[中正區區長 林明寬]]
“各個單位都送白米可能也吃不完,最後放著就會長蟲,也許只需要三包的量,拿其他幾包可以來換奶粉或餅乾,才不會浪費”

只要來食物銀行開戶,存摺裡就有500個點數,可以用來換取生活所需的物資,若是你點數用完了,也不用擔心,可以到里中當志工,用勞力換取點數加值。

[[忠勤里里長 方荷生]]
“讓中低收入戶得到自信,在這銀行中可以拿到需要的東西,又可以付出再來換取更需要的,這些遺失物全都有包羅萬象,當廢棄物扔了真的很可惜”

這裡看到許多旅客忘在捷運車廂內的東西,久久沒人領取會變成垃圾,因此里長自動自發去整理來義賣,有些也會放在幸福銀行,讓更需要的民眾能再次利用!