Festive mood filled the homes of some 100 elderly people in two Tai Kok Tsui redevelopment sites of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) when they are offered packs of mooncakes and fruit for the upcoming Mid Autumn Festival this (Saturday) afternoon from a team of volunteers comprising URA staff members and social workers of The Salvation Army.

Their smiling faces showed their gratitude for the timely gift as well as for the concern of the caring visitors from the Urban Renewal Authority, who spent their weekend afternoon bringing festive gifts to them. 

Sponsored by the Urban Renewal Authority (URA), the event is jointly organised by the Staff Club of the URA and the Urban Renewal Social Service Team of The Salvation Army. Over 50 URA staff and their family members, together with social workers of The Salvation Army, took part in the courtesy visit.

There are a total of 369 property interests in the Larch Street/Fir Street and Pine Street/Anchor Street projects with about 600 households.  A spokesman for the URA said: "URA frontline staff and the social service team of the Salvation Army, upholding the people-oriented approach, tailored-made their services for the needy individual residents to help them tackle their personal or family problems arising from the redevelopment process."

The social service team of The Salvation Army has so far offered assistance to almost 100 families of the projects. Their services include providing tenants with furniture donated by owners, helping residents move houses and distributing quilts to the elders in winter.

"Our efforts have been rewarded with an encouraging response from the residents.   We commenced property acquisition in March this year and in less than six months, some 77 percent of the owners have accepted our offers.  The success rate for owner-occupied properties is even as high as 98 percent.  For the Pine Street/Anchor Street project alone, all owner-occupied properties have accepted our offers.  We are indeed grateful to their support." he added.

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