Free Supermarket, `Shim Mart` Grand Opening

The welfare foundation, `Call for Love` (president Shim Cheol-Ho), had an opening ceremony of the `Shim Mart`. The Shim Mart is the first free supermarket for the low-income class opened in the foundation building, Shingongduk-Dong, Mapo-Gu, Seoul.

The director of the welfare department in this foundation, Kim So-Yeon said, ``the Shim Mart will be open from 2 o`clock to 4 o`clock every Thursday, during which we will distribute for free the daily necessary goods to the 500 welfare beneficiaries such as the low-income class, solitary old persons, and boy or girl head of household. And we plan to receive the supports from the companies, organizations, and individuals for the daily necessary goods to distribute.``

The Shim Mart plans to run the free supermarket with the membership system comprised of 500 members, and currently prepared the total of 16,500 goods such as computer, beverage, candy, condiment, detergent and foundation cosmetic.

Director Kim said, ``I think that it is meaningful to change the intermittent supports for the low-income class to the permanent system. We are looking for more sponsors to increase the number of the member up to 2,000.``

mhpark@donga.com