SALT Kitchen

SALT Kitchen: Why Do We Do It?

January 6, 2023By

As an expat living in Taiwan for nine years now, I can attest to how easy it can be to get comfortable in one’s own  “bubble” without giving much thought to the social issues and challenges that the country faces. When I first moved here I was quite surprised to learn that homelessness was a problem in Taiwan, particularly in Taipei. 

Personally, I would always feel conflicted about how to actually help whenever I would pass by a homeless person in Taipei who was clearly in need. Although those times were few and far between, it remained an unresolved question in my mind. Admittedly, I used to be afraid of homeless people and have a lot of assumptions as to how they ended up on the streets. Over time, homelessness became more of a distant “issue” than about real people in need. 

When I first began volunteering at the soup kitchen in 2020, I was overwhelmed upon seeing the need and felt deep compassion for the young and old waiting in line for their meals. It’s easier to overlook homelessness when it’s just a statistic on a page. When I looked into the eyes of the people I was serving meals to, exchanging smiles and greetings, homelessness was no longer just a statistic to me but the face of the one standing right in front of me. As a Christian, I recalled the words of Jesus inviting me to love “the least of these,” each one with a name and each one worthy of love. 

I saw the genuine love from the staff and SALT Collectiv team, and witnessed the meaningful relationships they had cultivated with the homeless over the years. In hearing personal stories,  I learned that the majority of homeless people were on the streets due to circumstances out of their control: long-term unemployment, disrupted family life, mental illness and physical disabilities. Other factors include unwillingness to stay at home and/or work, wanting to be self-reliant, loss of savings and property, and personal decision to be homeless. Regardless of the reasons for homelessness, I was compelled to keep volunteering to not only step out of my comfort zone to love unreservedly (and non-judgmentally) but also to understand how to actually make a difference— a lasting imprint. 

Now that we’re five months into SALT Kitchen, we’re able to cook and pack our own made-with-love bentos. Every delivery to Taipei Main Station is another opportunity for connection and personal interactions with a homeless friend. These exchanges are mutually life-giving, and remind me of SALT Collectiv’s mission to spread the value of giving to culture and society. While we want to fulfill basic needs like a home-cooked meal, we hope these meaningful connections also help to make a true, lasting imprint in the lives of the marginalized. 

—

1. How can I help the homeless in Taiwan?
SALT Collectiv hosts monthly volunteer opportunities to serve the homeless in Taipei, Taiwan through our SALT Soup Kitchens. By partnering with local restaurants, our volunteers help prepare, pack and deliver at least 150 warm bento boxes to the homeless community at Taipei Main Station. Volunteering with SALT Collectiv not only makes a lasting imprint for the vulnerable and marginalized, but also makes a lasting imprint in your heart. Be sure to stay updated on volunteer opportunities by following us on Instagram and Facebook, or checking our website.

2. Where can I volunteer in Taiwan?
SALT Collectiv is a nonprofit headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan that hosts volunteer opportunities to serve the marginalized. Volunteer opportunities include serving the homeless through our SALT soup kitchen, orphanage visitations, elderly care, biannual beach cleanups, and our annual Christmas Giving Tree that gives over 1,000 gifts each year to the marginalized all over Taiwan. We also have fundraiser events such as trivia nights, bake sales, F45 workouts, carwashes, and many more. Our FUNdraiser events bring the fun into building our community. Come checkout our community and join the movement.  

3. Can foreigners volunteer in Taiwan?
Yes! SALT Collectiv is a diverse international community of volunteers uniting for the purpose of making a lasting imprint for the vulnerable and marginalized. There are no prerequisites required to sign up for events and we welcome expats and locals alike to join our community. We ask only that you come with a heart to serve. When individuals come together, dedicating their time and talent to serve the marginalized, lives are touched and communities are transformed. In volunteering, you engage in causes bigger than yourself, cultivate meaningful relationships and positively impact your community.

READ MORE
#GivingTreeTW

What’s the Big Deal about #GivingTreeTW?

October 21, 2022By

#GivingTreeTW. Super dope. You really must experience it for yourself to know how dope it is. 

But let me break it down so you know what’s up. 

The Giving Tree has many names and is done all over the world, but the basic idea is to give a Christmas gift to the less fortunate. Initially we were inspired by the folks at The Key Fitness and collaborated with them to provide gifts to orphanages and children’s hospitals. It was so awesome, we wanted to do more the following year. “What about the schools for the visually impaired and on the spectrum?” We hit those up and started to deliver there. “What about the organizations outside of Taipei?” We got that in the books. “Let’s try and reach 1000 kids!” Boom. Done. “What about the aboriginal organizations deep in the mountains that don’t receive much support at all?” Bet. Checked. 

One year, SALT Collectiv received a call from an organization that specialized in support for terminally ill children. The social worker asked if we could send a gift earlier to one of the kids since the doctor said he only had around 10 days left. That was a no brainer, but here’s the kicker. He asked for a game that wouldn’t even be launched for another week. We must’ve contacted more than 30 stores and even pleaded with the distributor to see if we could get our hands on a copy earlier, but to no avail. The biggest problem wasn’t even getting it earlier, but this game was so popular that there was no guarantee we could even receive one on launch day. What can you do? We placed an order with as many shops as possible. I’m going to skip a lot of the details, but in the end, we got the game into the hands of the child just in time. Let me just say, the smile I saw on his face, is something I will never forget. My eyeballs started to sweat as I cut imaginary onions. The social worker told us after just how much this meant to the child and to all their recipients, since many of the less fortunate kids generally only receive items that the donor chooses to give, often being second-hand items that they no longer want or need.

The #GivingTreeTW campaign is so much more than just giving a Christmas gift. It’s about the connection between the donor and the recipient. The recipient could be from an orphanage, social-welfare organization, specialized school, or hospital. They could range from infants to geriatrics, as many of the elderly we serve entered those organizations when they were children and still need love now as they needed it then. We have the opportunity to ask each of them directly what’s the one thing they want the most. Obviously, we won’t be getting them a spaceship to mars (that was an actual wish, but we unfortunately had to ask them to wish for something else), but it’s a chance for them to feel that someone truly cares. We could’ve got the kid another game, but that just wouldn’t have been the same. SALT Collectiv has so many stories, and we’ve seen how individuals personally experiencing Giving Tree leaves them inspired and encouraged to participate year after year and even wanting to be more involved. That lasting imprint and impact is what SALT Collectiv is all about. 

See you at the next #GivingTreeTW! 😉 

How it works: 

1.) Follow us on IG/FB for the next launch event date.
2.) Come to the #GivingTreeTW event and pick a card from the Christmas Tree.
3.) Register it at the booth before you leave to buy the gift.
4.) Wrap it up and bring it to our drop-off address within the specified timeframe.
5.) If you want to be more involved, hit us up! 

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1.) Are there Christmas gift drives in Taiwan?

SALT Collectiv hosts an annual #GivingTreeTW campaign, which is about spreading the Christmas spirit to the underprivileged and marginalized of Taiwan. We partner with multiple recipient organizations around Taiwan to serve over 1000 orphans, cancer & HIV kids, and mentally and physically handicapped. You can get involved by sponsoring a gift for someone in need and help to spread joy and love to those overlooked or underserved in society. Follow us on Facebook and IG for more information on what’s to come in 2022!

2.) Where can I volunteer in Taiwan?

SALT Collectiv is a nonprofit headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan that hosts volunteer opportunities to serve the marginalized. Volunteer opportunities include serving the homeless through our SALT Kitchen, orphanage visitations, elderly care, biannual beach cleanups, and our annual Christmas Giving Tree that gives over 1,000 gifts each year to the marginalized all over Taiwan. We also have fundraiser events such as trivia nights, bake sales, F45 workouts, carwashes, and many more. Our FUNdraiser events bring the fun into building our community. Come checkout our community and join the movement.  

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About SALT

The Birth of SALT Collectiv: We Have a Dream

October 21, 2022By

Believe it or not, Budapest, Hungary is the birthplace of SALT Collectiv more than 5 years ago. While on a mission trip there to help the Roma Gypsies, the concept of giving back to our local community back home was conceived. The vision was simple, we knew plenty of people in our local community  who had big hearts who would love to give back. Having lived in Taiwan for many years ourselves, we knew how difficult it was to find an English speaking volunteer community. Instead of continuing to look for something that didn’t exist, we decided to build one. 

At first we started with five people at our first soup kitchen volunteer event, a year later we became 100, and the numbers just grew exponentially from there. It’s been five years since that Hungary trip, and now the volunteer spots for our SALT Kitchen get filled up in less than an hour, and as of March 2022, we recently hit a huge milestone by hiring our first two staff members. Resources and donations have been coming in this year and we’ve been able to do so much with that. We’ve done our best to follow our vision from day one and I would love to share with you all that vision. 

When we first envisioned the DNA of our SALT Collectiv community, we imagined it to be a place where people came together to work on projects that would benefit people in need. We also wanted to have fun and do it with people we’d love. We believe that people are born with the propensity to do good, so it’s our job to provide these opportunities to help our community train their generosity muscles to be strong so that giving becomes natural. Our goal is to have a whole community of people that can come together and do bigger and greater things for Taiwan so that we can truly say we’ve left a lasting imprint on this world. My personal goal has always been to grow our #GivingtreeTW campaign big enough that every orphan in Taiwan gets something, every marginalized person in Taiwan gets some love from SALT Collectiv and can feel seen. 

The truth is there is a lot of need right where we are, we just don’t get to see it. Every year for our #GivingtreeTW campaign we get to visit a multitude of places, such as HIV baby centers, orphanages for South-Eastern migrant workers who can’t afford to take care of their babies, terminally ill children at the NTU hospital – the list is endless. There is so much need here in Taiwan, if we just look a little harder and care a little more we will see it. We are blessed to be in our privileged positions in life with the many things we take for granted, that a dose of humility is often necessary for us to even further enjoy life. Why not pay back the world, which has been so kind to us, by giving back to the less fortunate. 

Our goal at SALT Collectiv is to start a spark here in Taiwan and hope that one day we can look back and see a gigantic wildfire that none of us could ever have imagined in our wildest dreams. 

—

  1. Where can I volunteer in Taiwan?

SALT Collectiv is a nonprofit headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan that hosts volunteer opportunities to serve the marginalized. Volunteer opportunities include serving the homeless through our SALT Kitchen, orphanage visitations, elderly care, biannual beach cleanups, and our annual Christmas Giving Tree that gives over 1,000 gifts each year to the marginalized all over Taiwan. We also have fundraiser events such as trivia nights, bake sales, F45 workouts, carwashes, and many more. Our FUNdraiser events bring the fun into building our community. Come checkout our community and join the movement.  

  1. Can foreigners volunteer in Taiwan?

Yes! SALT Collectiv is a diverse international community of volunteers uniting for the purpose of making a lasting imprint for the vulnerable and marginalized. There are no prerequisites required to sign up for events and we welcome expats and locals alike to join our community. We ask only that you come with a heart to serve. When individuals come together, dedicating their time and talent to serve the marginalized, lives are touched and communities are transformed. In volunteering, you engage in causes bigger than yourself, cultivate meaningful relationships and positively impact your community.

READ MORE
Community

Opening SALT Kitchen: Start With the End in Mind

September 23, 2022By

A finished dish is only as good as the preparation.

My husband and I moved to Taiwan almost four years ago, and a priority for us when we arrived was to find opportunities to build and serve the community. Fortunately, my husband, Albert, was old friends with one of SALT Collectiv’s co-founders, and we were quickly plugged-in.

We started volunteering at the SALT Kitchen in early 2019 when SALT partnered with a local church near Taipei Main Station. I thought washing and cutting veggies with like-hearted people on a Saturday morning would be a great opportunity to serve people in need here in Taipei. Most importantly, I may even get to share God’s love to those who don’t know Him just yet.

Being a professional pastry chef, volunteering at the soup kitchen was a natural fit for me since I can still cook without the demands and pressure of a Michelin level kitchen. I couldn’t think of a better way to enter the heart than through the stomach. Food is my universal language to connect and unite people of all cultures, ages, backgrounds, and faiths. Serving the marginalized was the perfect opportunity for me to learn more about the dire needs of our street friends and how to bring hope.

I still recall the moment when I heard SALT Collectiv was looking to build their own soup kitchen. With my husband as board members of SALT Collectiv, my heart lit up instantly as I envisioned all the possibilities that have yet to come! After twenty years of building a career in the hospitality industry at world renowned Michelin star rated restaurants, hotels, and bakeries, I transitioned to become an educational leader in vocational training and education to raise up the next generation of professional chefs. I knew this was my moment to bring to the table what God has been equipping me all these years of leading and managing kitchens and people to fulfill a unique eternal purpose. I began praying and making plans on how to approach this endeavor with the finish line in mind like an athlete who trains daily to finish a race strong.

Working in Michelin level establishments trained and equipped me to finish a race on a daily basis, working 12-14 hours a day up to 6 days per week. Through learning endurance and grit in the process, this enabled me to tackle the task of supporting SALT Collectiv to develop an operational structure with our newly established partner – Twinkeyz Dos – to make 150 bento boxes per service event. The kicker is we were given less than two months to launch. Challenge accepted!

The most important aspect of a successful kitchen operation is not just the quality and consistency of the food produced or the maintenance of hygiene standards, it’s the staff members and the natural dynamics created when various personalities, backgrounds, and working skill levels are brought to work together in reaching common goals. I needed to gather like minded and hearted volunteers in order to build a core team who are committed to sacrifice half a Saturday starting at 8am for the next few months. We wrote a menu and started with a couple kitchen test runs. Next was kitchen core team recruitment and then training (online and in-person) for a month to assess if the team would be ready to execute on our own using Twinkeyz Dos’ entire restaurant. Without the support of Twinkeyz Dos’ owner, we would not be able to pursue this first momentous step.

In retrospect, recruiting was the easy part and it was so inspiring to see the number of people who raised their hands to help. Training and building the team was the greater challenge. Teaching someone new to the culinary world to cook in large volume under timed pressure is where I thrive. Patience, compassion, and strong communication were the key to overcoming this hurdle. I also had to let go of reaching for perfection knowing this was not the most important goal. The goal was to build a core team and establish SOP’s to serve people in need together as a family in Christ.

We faced many hurdles each time we served, whether it was not cooking enough rice, mushy rice, having too much or too little of a particular ingredient along with burns and cuts. We got through each time learning what God’s grace meant as individuals and together as a team. God always provided for us despite our circumstances or inadequacies. We learned a lot about ourselves and each other during our short debrief meetings on how to improve next time.

The truth is, no matter how well I planned, there were always hiccups, but that was what made it fun yet encouraging knowing that we could only improve. The outcome is often beyond your control. Just fix your eyes on the prize at the finish line and cross it, sign up for another race, continue to train daily, hold onto your faith, and before you know it you’ll be able to deliver 150 bento boxes – or whatever it is you are working towards.

And sometimes, it all starts with a simple act service.

—

1.) How can I help the homeless in Taiwan?

SALT Collectiv hosts monthly volunteer opportunities to serve the homeless in Taipei, Taiwan through our SALT Soup Kitchens. By partnering with local restaurants, our volunteers help prepare, pack and deliver at least 150 warm bento boxes to the homeless community at Taipei Main Station. Volunteering with SALT Collectiv not only makes a lasting imprint for the vulnerable and marginalized, but also makes a lasting imprint in your heart. Be sure to stay updated on volunteer opportunities by following us on Instagram and Facebook, or checking our website.

2.) Where can I volunteer in Taiwan?

SALT Collectiv is a nonprofit headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan that hosts volunteer opportunities to serve the marginalized. Volunteer opportunities include serving the homeless through our SALT soup kitchen, orphanage visitations, elderly care, biannual beach cleanups, and our annual Christmas Giving Tree that gives over 1,000 gifts each year to the marginalized all over Taiwan. We also have fundraiser events such as trivia nights, bake sales, F45 workouts, carwashes, and many more. Our FUNdraiser events bring the fun into building our community. Come checkout our community and join the movement.  

3.) Can foreigners volunteer in Taiwan?

Yes! SALT Collectiv is a diverse international community of volunteers uniting for the purpose of making a lasting imprint for the vulnerable and marginalized. There are no prerequisites required to sign up for events and we welcome expats and locals alike to join our community. We ask only that you come with a heart to serve. When individuals come together, dedicating their time and talent to serve the marginalized, lives are touched and communities are transformed. In volunteering, you engage in causes bigger than yourself, cultivate meaningful relationships and positively impact your community.

READ MORE
Community

Volunteering With Children – Crazy To Or Crazy Not To?

August 10, 2022By

Our family moved to Taiwan from Australia in 2020 with our two boys Cruz (7yo) and Miles (3yo). One of the reasons for coming to Taiwan was for all of us to experience new things that would open our eyes to the culture, people and heritage of Taiwan. 

When we first arrived, we wrote a list of things we wanted to do during our time here. The list included all sorts of things like “Visit Alishan”, “Fruit Picking” & “Bike riding and skateboarding”, but also on the list was “community volunteer work”, and in my son’s words, “to help someone who is poor”. Deep down we wanted to try to make at least a small, but meaningful contribution to people in Taiwan who were doing it tough.

Like a lot of families, my wife and I have both grown up in distinctly middle-class families. Our parents had worked hard to make sure that we were well provided for. Our families weren’t “rich” in monetary terms by pretty much anyone’s definition of “rich”, but we also were able to afford most typical needs and wants. Growing up as kids, we never had to worry about not having a warm bed to jump into or clothes to wear, we were able to learn a musical instrument, I remember my mum would buy me McDonald’s after my swimming lesson each week, and we were able to do the occasional family holiday. 

But the thing about growing up middle-class, is that it’s very easy to fall into the trap of thinking “We’re not quite rich enough to be too generous”, “If I was as rich as those other people, I would give so much more” or some iteration of that mindset. I know that people in all socioeconomic situations can fall into this trap, but what’s unique to the middle class is you get a taste of some of the “good” things in life without the security of feeling like it’s always going to be there, so you develop a fear of needing to protect those things and to keep up with the Joneses, whilst too often taking what we have for granted.

One of the big shifts in my life was when I was about 10 or 11 years old. My dad was working in Bangladesh at the time and my mom and I visited him during school holidays. This was the first time I saw real poverty other than the occasional WorldVision ad on TV, and all I can say is it swallowed me up like a black hole. I remember sitting in the car as we drove along one of the major roads, and lined across both sides of the road were blue tarps, one after the other, stretching from the handrails to the ground on the concrete sidewalk, the only shelter that people had. When we walked through the markets, we were always surrounded by crowds and crowds of people – the elderly, children – following us and asking for help. 

For the first time, I realized that we are rich. Maybe not by the standards we see today on TV, on social media and on billboards, but compared to a huge part of the world. My paradigm shifted after that experience and I remember thinking, if I ever have children, I want to open their eyes to how blessed we are, how much we have to give, and how many people are in desperate need of help. 

I’m not saying I don’t struggle with discontentment, even now, but it definitely gave me a new perspective and I wanted our kids to learn and experience that no matter what we have or don’t have, we can always be generous and help someone else in need, whether that’s with our time, our finances, or even just a conversation and a listening ear. 

We had it in our heart to serve the local people somehow but with our language barriers and unfamiliarity with organizations in Taiwan, we had no idea where to start. I had taken the boys to Taipei Main Station one Christmas with a meal and drinks for 20 people to hand out, and it was a great experience for the kids, but it was still so limited in what we could do. 

So when some great friends from church told my wife and I about SALT Collectiv and the opportunity to be involved in helping the marginalized here in Taiwan, I remember our eyes lighting up and a smile stretched across our faces, as if a lightbulb had been flicked on in our brains. We couldn’t be more excited. Sign us up! 

Our first involvement was with the previous iteration of the SALT Kitchen ministry where we helped to prepare food for a local soup kitchen, and more recently with SALT Kitchen x Allegro樂格輕食 where we helped to pack bento boxes and hand them out at Taipei Main Station. 

We loved the fact that our kids were encouraged to get involved, that they weren’t treated like afterthoughts but could really contribute to the cause. Both boys love helping with the SALT Kitchen and they keep asking us when we can go again. I asked Cruz what his favorite thing about the SALT Kitchen was and he said “All of it! But I really love giving the meals out to people ”, and I’m so thankful that they’ve had the opportunity to catch this vision from SALT Collectiv.

We love the vision; the mission; the team and the heart of what SALT Collectiv is all about and we absolutely encourage anyone who is interested to get involved in any way you (and your children!) can.

—

1.) Where can I volunteer in Taiwan?

SALT Collectiv is a nonprofit headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan that hosts volunteer opportunities to serve the marginalized. Volunteer opportunities include serving the homeless through our SALT soup kitchen, orphanage visitations, elderly care, biannual beach cleanups, and our annual Christmas Giving Tree that gives over 1,000 gifts each year to the marginalized all over Taiwan. We also have fundraiser events such as trivia nights, bake sales, F45 workouts, carwashes, and many more. Our FUNdraiser events bring the fun into building our community. Come checkout our community and join the movement.  

2.) Can foreigners volunteer in Taiwan?

Yes! SALT Collectiv is a diverse international community of volunteers uniting for the purpose of making a lasting imprint for the vulnerable and marginalized. There are no prerequisites required to sign up for events and we welcome expats and locals alike to join our community. We ask only that you come with a heart to serve. When individuals come together, dedicating their time and talent to serve the marginalized, lives are touched and communities are transformed. In volunteering, you engage in causes bigger than yourself, cultivate meaningful relationships and positively impact your community.

3.) Is it possible to volunteer with children in Taiwan?

Yes! SALT Collectiv welcomes and encourages children of all ages to participate in our volunteer events. However, parents will be solely responsible for the actions, behavior, and whereabouts of their children.

READ MORE
Orphanage

Orphanage Visits: Making an Impact in a Kid’s Life

May 30, 2022By

Our family moved to Taiwan 5 years ago with the calling of serving the local people here. My wife and I are big on family values and our vision is to see thriving marriage relationships where healthy communication, healthy expectations & boundaries are cultivated & set. It was through SALT Collectiv, we found a long term orphanage volunteer opportunity at Taoyuan’s SOS Children’s Village. SALT Collectiv’s vision is to make an impact in the lives of these children by building relationships with them. 

Our structure for this partnership set up by SALT Collectiv is to build a long term relationship between our church and SOS. We commit to the orphanage on a regular visitation basis, usually every month or two, and we were required to commit one year minimum. SALT Collectiv wanted to respect and honor the kids and shield them from the feeling of abandonment, that’s why we were asked to commit one year minimum. Most groups like us end up sticking around indefinitely after falling in love with these adorable kids.

We become their big brothers and sisters that come alongside them to encourage and mentor them. I have been taking a group of young men & women from church to spend time and play with these children for the past 2 years and it has been amazing! These children ages 6-17 warmed up to us quickly and they are full of energy and life. They just want to play tag all day and they never seem to run out of enthusiasm and energy! It is through these games and activities we get to know each child and their stories. One teenage boy shared with me that he came to this village from a young age and he has never seen his dad and has not met his other two siblings. He tells me that he would like to meet his older siblings one day.

Although many stories that we have come across are similar to the one above, their stories did not have a good beginning. This is where we get to impact these precious children’s lives for the better. As we build relationships with them, we get to share the love of Jesus & the hope that we have in Christ with them. We get to speak life and identity into these children. When they might feel that they are neglected, forgotten and abandoned by their loved ones and perhaps even looked down by society, we bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to them! We want to let them know that they are precious and valuable to God and God loves them, delights in them and accepts them! 

One thing I really love about SOS Children’s Village is that they don’t believe in hand out but they believe in hand up. They teach these children that every one of them is capable. They are not just interested in looking for sympathy help from us or other organizations. What they are looking for is an opportunity or platform to display their talents and abilities. 

They believe that each child has God given talents and gifts that are just waiting to be discovered. They teach each child how to bake goods for sale. They learn how to make banana cake, cheese cake, egg tarts & assorted cookies. Their milk pearl tea is pretty good and their tea eggs are delicious! What I like the most is their marinated bean curd. I was impressed as all of the baked goods and drinks are all professionally packaged like the ones sold in stores and that’s a learned skill. 

These children are very talented and very good at direct sales as well. First time I was there, this boy asked me if I like egg tarts. I said egg tarts are ok for me. He told me to try one on the house. I took up on his offer and ate one. The crust was crispy and the custard had just the right sweetness to it. It was warm as it was right from the oven. He then asked, did you like it? I said yes. I think he was waiting for that. Then he said, it’s 25NT per one and 4 in a box, that would be 100NT please, thank you! I’ve got to hand it to him, he is business minded.

My family, and the church group that goes to build relationships with these children, are in it for the long run. Building relationships takes time, effort and intentionality. Our heart is to be a mentor figure in their lives to encourage them and to be alongside them. Sometimes the most profound way to influence or impact a person is just to spend time with them and perhaps even in doing the mundane things in life, a teaching moment appears where we get to speak life into these precious children. This is why we have partnered with SALT Collectiv; to see and help to shape their life stories so they have a different ending than how they began. I encourage everyone from all walks of life to come and volunteer with SALT Collectiv and serve the marginalized here in Taiwan, there’s still so much need and we can all start with a small step.

—

1.) Can I volunteer with orphans in Taiwan?

Yes, contact us for more details about our orphanage ministry. SALT Collectiv partners with the SOS Children’s Village in Taoyuan. With each visit to the orphanage, we aim to provide friendship, hope, and guidance as a big brother or sister by leading through example. Volunteering with SALT Collectiv not only makes a lasting imprint for the vulnerable and marginalized, but also makes a lasting imprint in your heart. In volunteering, you engage in causes bigger than yourself, cultivate meaningful relationships and positively impact your community.

2.) Can foreigners volunteer in Taiwan?

Yes! SALT Collectiv is a diverse international community of volunteers uniting for the purpose of making a lasting imprint for the vulnerable and marginalized. There are no prerequisites required to sign up for events and we welcome expats and locals alike to join our community. We ask only that you come with a heart to serve. When individuals come together, dedicating their time and talent to serve the marginalized, lives are touched and communities are transformed. In volunteering, you engage in causes bigger than yourself, cultivate meaningful relationships and positively impact your community.

3.) Where can I volunteer in Taiwan?

SALT Collectiv is a nonprofit headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan that hosts volunteer opportunities to serve the marginalized. Volunteer opportunities include serving the homeless through our SALT soup kitchen, orphanage visitations, elderly care, biannual beach cleanups, and our annual Christmas Giving Tree that gives over 1,000 gifts each year to the marginalized all over Taiwan. We also have fundraiser events such as trivia nights, bake sales, F45 workouts, carwashes, and many more. Our FUNdraiser events bring the fun into building our community. Come checkout our community and join the movement. 

READ MORE
#GivingTreeTW

#GivingTreeTW 2021 Campaign

May 10, 2022By

I have lived in Taiwan for 16 years and for many of those, I have tried to find a way to get involved in the greater community. As a foreigner, this had been difficult as I don’t speak the language and don’t know how to contact organizations. One day I came across the SALT Collectiv on Facebook.  After doing some research about the organization online, I took a chance and signed up for the #GivingTreeTW event in November 2021.  

As my birthday was approaching, all I wanted was to do some service with my husband and daughter…so this is what I asked for as my birthday present!  As we arrived at the event location, we were welcomed by SALT Collectiv volunteers and shown our stations where we would be selling t-shirts and overseeing the photo booth.

As vendors arrived, I began to truly understand what the event was about.  Local vendors sell their wares to support a great cause; providing Christmas gifts for underprivileged and marginalized around the island (specifically orphans, cancer & HIV kids, and mentally and physically handicapped). As people arrived, showing their support for the community, they began choosing gift tags from the Christmas tree and supporting the local businesses.  Suddenly the carols broke out and people joined in the singing – real Christmas spirit!  At the end of our volunteer session, we had a chance to choose our own gift tags and were excited to be able to provide a gift for a child.

When I signed up to volunteer at #GivingTreeTW, I also offered to drive and deliver gifts to the children.  This was truly the highlight of the experience for me.  Often we give money or volunteer to help man a booth, but rarely have I had the chance to see an experience like this to the end.  Getting to see the smiles on the faces of the children as they opened their gifts, filled my heart! I knew then that SALT Collectiv was an organization that would do great things for others and I wanted to be a part of it!

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1.) Are there Christmas gift drives in Taiwan?

SALT Collectiv hosts an annual #GivingTreeTW campaign, which is about spreading the Christmas spirit to the underprivileged and marginalized of Taiwan. We partner with multiple recipient organizations around Taiwan to serve over 1000 orphans, cancer & HIV kids, and mentally and physically handicapped. You can get involved by sponsoring a gift for someone in need and help to spread joy and love to those overlooked or underserved in society. Follow us on Facebook and IG for more information on what’s to come in 2022!

2.) Is it possible to volunteer with children in Taiwan?

Yes! SALT Collectiv welcomes and encourages children of all ages to participate in our volunteer events. However, parents will be solely responsible for the actions, behavior, and whereabouts of their children.

3.) Where can I volunteer in Taiwan?

SALT Collectiv is a nonprofit headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan that hosts volunteer opportunities to serve the marginalized. Volunteer opportunities include serving the homeless through our SALT soup kitchen, orphanage visitations, elderly care, biannual beach cleanups, and our annual Christmas Giving Tree that gives over 1,000 gifts each year to the marginalized all over Taiwan. We also have fundraiser events such as trivia nights, bake sales, F45 workouts, carwashes, and many more. Our FUNdraiser events bring the fun into building our community. Come check out our community and join the movement.  

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Community

Finding Community & Friends Amidst An Impactful Cause

May 6, 2022By

Having been back in Canada for the past year and going through the nuances of everyday life, I’m left reminiscing about stinky tofu at Tonghua night market, my favourite chicken restaurant, loud temple noises, and biking down the bustling streets of Taipei.

Most of all, I often find myself reflecting on my SALT Collectiv community.

It’s funny to think back on that time when I met two hoodlums from San Francisco at the very first soup kitchen that I volunteered at. 

At the time, I didn’t realise what God had put into my life: a community of friends who made me feel like I belonged and was valued. These are the same people who I spent hours with — sorting #givingtreetw gifts, hiking the tallest mountain in Taiwan, and celebrating each others’ milestones. 

As a single expat living in a foreign place with no family or relatives, I realised that the feelings of loneliness were inevitable. However, the SALT Collectiv community offered me a place of refuge, and the relationships I’ve developed in this community impacted me more than the place itself.

My belief is that the special “seasoning” — which has led to the SALT Collectiv’s  success and is special compared to any other non-profits I’ve been involved with — is the strong network of people. 

The heart of any organization is to find like-minded people who are passionate about the vision and goal. 

When Drew and James (Co-founder 1 and Co-founder 2) approached me with the idea of signing onto the team to help manage social media and fundraising, I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into. But isn’t that the wonderful thing about life sometimes? I was sold on the vision they had —wanting SALT Collectiv to be something bigger than themselves by giving back to the community in serving the marginalized.

Once I joined the team, I hit the ground running. 

Our very first fundraising event was the bake sale at OohChaCha. We managed to arrange for several vegan bakeries to donate baked goodies on a Saturday morning. On that beautiful day, we had friends come to support us, while even my elementary school students showed up to help the sale and performed on the street.

The momentum kept building — and we started Trivia Nights that involved Aye Taipei and collaborated with Red Point Brewery, who donated beer. We wanted to bring fun, a little competition, and an opportunity to connect outside of the volunteer setting (which generated $30,000 through beer sales, raffle tickets, and donations).

Part of our event fundraising goal was to connect small businesses to our networks, which naturally created mutually beneficial relationships. 

For example, my friend Amanda, who owns Little Graze Garden, a decadent treat box company, expressed that she wanted to get involved with the SALT Collectiv by contributing her yummy charcuterie boxes as prizes for our Trivia Event. After getting some great promo at the event and connecting with other small business owners, like our friends at Empress Hot Sauce, she came back to volunteer at our beach cleanups. 

That’s the cool thing about the SALT Collectiv. 

It all starts with a small step that can leave a big impact — not just in your life but in the lives of others. A strong community is a place of opportunity. 

Big or small, a community can provide countless opportunities for growth and experience. With a community of people looking out for your best interests and working together for a common goal, there is no shortage of opportunities for whatever you are looking for — whether it’s volunteering or collaborating your small business with us.  

Another big aspect of the SALT Collectiv DNA is being active, with health and wellness aligned with our most recent fundraiser with F45 —  popular HIIT workout with three locations in Taipei. SALT brought almost 50 people to #teamsweat and brought in more than $27,000. 

Fundraising doesn’t always mean throwing a big event. My two good friends Bertina and Pearl were both so passionate about our cause that they celebrated their birthdays by asking friends to donate to the SALT Collectiv instead of receiving gifts which raised $24,000 NTD.  For more collaboration or fundraising ideas, please contact Bertina Hu. 

When I started managing our IG page, we only had 300 followers. But in the past year, there was a fourfold increase as the SALT Collectiv community continues to grow, now adding two paid staff and potential corporate sponsors. Of course, this exponential growth is driven by our strong network of passionate people who are working towards the same vision and goal. These are the same people who naturally become influencers to those around them. 

The word spreads and the network grows.

Community is crucial to a fulfilling life. As we get older, it can sometimes get harder to connect with the people around us. But, that connection will ultimately ease stress and feelings of loneliness. 

With loneliness on the rise and isolation becoming a real by-product of COVID, people are craving community more than ever. I believe building networks and connections doesn’t just involve people, but also time and effort. 

Whether you’re in Canada, Taiwan, or anywhere in the world, no place is perfect. Having travelled globally, a place itself doesn’t make it special— it’s the people and the community that truly make a place unforgettable.

That’s how I feel about the SALT Collectiv.

—

1.) Where can I volunteer in Taiwan?

SALT Collectiv is a nonprofit headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan that hosts volunteer opportunities to serve the marginalized. Volunteer opportunities include serving the homeless through our SALT soup kitchen, orphanage visitations, elderly care, biannual beach cleanups, and our annual Christmas Giving Tree that gives over 1,000 gifts each year to the marginalized all over Taiwan. We also have fundraiser events such as trivia nights, bake sales, F45 workouts, carwashes, and many more. Our FUNdraiser events bring the fun into building our community. Come checkout our community and join the movement.  

2.) Can foreigners volunteer in Taiwan?

Yes! SALT Collectiv is a diverse international community of volunteers uniting for the purpose of making a lasting imprint for the vulnerable and marginalized. There are no prerequisites required to sign up for events and we welcome expats and locals alike to join our community. We ask only that you come with a heart to serve. When individuals come together, dedicating their time and talent to serve the marginalized, lives are touched and communities are transformed. In volunteering, you engage in causes bigger than yourself, cultivate meaningful relationships and positively impact your community.

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Community

SALT Collectiv x F45 Challenge 2022 Fundraising Event – Is It Worth It?

May 6, 2022By

It has been an amazing start since the ease of COVID-19 restrictions in Taiwan. Here are a few highlights from our recent fundraising event, there are more events (Beach cleanup on May 7th, Soup Kitchen, etc.) coming soon, so don’t feel any FOMO!

On March 12th, SALT Collectiv and F45 Xinyi collaborated for the first fundraising event of the year. The event raised funds to support SALT Kitchens, ​​which offers free meals for the homeless community in Taipei.

Major highlights include:
1.) We alongside 48 participants managed to raise 27500 NTD.
2.) Multiple participants decided to join F45 Xinyi to improve their health and wellness.
3.) One participant started coaching part-time at F45 Xinyi to raise funds for SALT Collectiv.
4.) SALT Collectiv getting more buzz within the non-profit organization industry and corporations.

Fundraising

Fundraising is like a plaster cast. No, not in a bad way! It is a beautiful plaster cast that is necessary to support us, a non-profit organization, while we build a strong foundation to help the marginalized. It funds our advocacy, campaigns, and all the tools we need to make a change.

Fundraising won’t be easy especially during COVID-19. However, we believe that SALT Collectiv as a team can succeed, small victories at a time. 

Just as salt is used to add flavor and preserve, our actions can be the seasoning and support for the forgotten. It all starts with a small step to make a difference and be the salt of the earth.

Why F45?

For those of you who aren’t familiar with F45, it is a workout that focuses on the entire body movement, from pushing & pulling, to lifting and squatting; proving your full body a balanced strength.

F45 is best known for building tight-knit communities and maintaining positive, encouraging environments. This is a great way for SALT Collectiv to strengthen our community so we may better serve the marginalized communities.

Also, the generous team at F45 Xinyi wanted to make an impact in their own ways by giving back to the community. We sincerely thank their generosity for donating their time and effort.

3 Benefits Gained Besides Fundraising

When it comes to growing a nonprofit organization, one thing is always on the forefront of our minds: moving the mission forward. What exactly did we gain from the collaboration besides raising funds for our SALT Kitchen? Below are three main benefits:

1.) One major benefit of collaborating with an established organization is increased visibility and exposure for the SALT Collectiv brand. The community at F45 Xinyi now knows more about us and will help spread our vision for the organization.
2.) At SALT Collectiv, we strongly believe that working and collaborating with another organization allows us to expand our current programs and build new ones for our community. From car washes to beach cleanups and F45 workouts, we are adding more programs to build a strong community to serve the marginalized.
3.) Along with expanding our programs, the event gives our organization the opportunity for new leadership. When people from different organizations bring together their expertise and knowledge in a cooperative effort, more strides can be made toward fulfilling our missions.

Final Thoughts

For the past few years, SALT Collectiv has been collaborating with multiple organizations to raise funds to allow us to go above and beyond the basic needs for the marginalized to survive, giving them more opportunities to thrive.

All in all, this fundraising was well worth the time and effort of everyone involved. We hope to run more collaborations and mobilize more people to play a part in making a lasting imprint on the world.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay up to date with the latest and greatest from SALT Collectiv.

—

1.) Where can I volunteer in Taiwan?

SALT Collectiv is a nonprofit headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan that hosts volunteer opportunities to serve the marginalized. Volunteer opportunities include serving the homeless through our SALT soup kitchen, orphanage visitations, elderly care, biannual beach cleanups, and our annual Christmas Giving Tree that gives over 1,000 gifts each year to the marginalized all over Taiwan. We also have fundraiser events such as trivia nights, bake sales, F45 workouts, carwashes, and many more. Our FUNdraiser events bring the fun into building our community. Come checkout our community and join the movement.  

2.) Can foreigners volunteer in Taiwan?

Yes! SALT Collectiv is a diverse international community of volunteers uniting for the purpose of making a lasting imprint for the vulnerable and marginalized. There are no prerequisites required to sign up for events and we welcome expats and locals alike to join our community. We ask only that you come with a heart to serve. When individuals come together, dedicating their time and talent to serve the marginalized, lives are touched and communities are transformed. In volunteering, you engage in causes bigger than yourself, cultivate meaningful relationships and positively impact your community.

READ MORE
Community

Why Do I Volunteer?

May 6, 2022By

I wish I could say that I volunteer with Salt to help create a better tomorrow, but that would be a lie.  The honest truth is, I volunteer to make myself less self-centered. 

Our family moved to Taipei along with our two goldens in the fall of 2010 and I started working as a teacher for the next four years. As of today, we now have five kids and one golden, and my main role is to anchor our family and support my husband Alex, who is the main pastor at Pearl in Taipei.  

My first time volunteering with SALT Collectiv was fall of 2018.  I was six months pregnant with my fifth child and rarely had an extended period of time to myself.  So when my husband offered to give me a Saturday morning off so that I could volunteer at the soup kitchen with SALT Collectiv, I retorted “I’d much rather have a Saturday morning to sleep as long as I’d like, thank you very much.”  Though my response makes absolute sense in any logical person’s mind, I also knew it reflected the type of person I do not want to be.  Yes, I could use more sleep. But also, I needed to stop making excuses for not loving my neighbors.

One of my favorite stories is the story of the Good Samaritan.  Jesus tells this story to a lawyer who asks the question, “who is my neighbor?”  This story is found in the book of Luke from the Bible, and always challenges me to be more intentional about loving those I am not naturally inclined to love.  In summary, this is the story of the Good Samaritan:

A man, presumably a Jew, gets robbed, stripped, and beaten close to death on his journey to Jericho.  A priest takes this same road, sees the bloodied man, but walks on the other side of the road to continue his journey.  Later, a Levite – which is like a priest’s assistant, walks this same path, sees this blood-crusted man, but he, too, chooses to walk on the other side of the road to continue his journey.  Finally, a Samaritan – who was raised to hate Jews, walks along this path, sees this beaten Jew and has compassion.  Instead of continuing his journey, this Samaritan approaches the blood-crusted man, cleans and binds his wounds, and takes him to an inn to recover.  The following day, this Samaritan leaves money with the innkeeper, asks that the injured Jew be taken care of, and promises to repay the innkeeper if more money is needed.  Only after knowing the injured Jew will be taken care of does this Samaritan resume his journey to Jericho.  (paraphrase of Luke 10:30-35)       

After telling this story, Jesus asks the lawyer which of the three people responded as a neighbor to the beaten Jew.  Without missing a beat, the lawyer replies, “the man who showed mercy.”  Jesus responds and says, “go and do likewise.”

Go and do likewise. 

These are words that pierce me.  

In the story of the Good Samaritan, I am the priest or the Levite.  I can name endless ways to show my love of God, but I am slow to live a life reflective of my love of a God who shows compassion on one’s enemy, never mind a stranger, or a neighbor.  Can I just circle back to the possibility that maybe the priest and Levite didn’t want to be late for the synagogue or something?  Can it be enough to just attend a church service and call that love?  Can’t I just wait until all my children are grown and I have more “free” time before I volunteer and interact with and maybe even befriend those in the marginalized communities? 

Jesus makes it clear.  No, I cannot wait.  Loving my neighbor needs to be a discipline, a habit, a lifestyle.  I cannot say I love God with my mouth and yet center my life around what is most comfortable and convenient for me.  I have five children.  It will probably never be an ideal time to intentionally love my neighbors.  If I truly love God, then loving my neighbors must be a rhythm of life.  

Simply, I need to daily admit that I am judgmental and callous and then actually do little things to save me from living with a calloused heart.  Some days it might mean saying good morning to the elderly walking around the neighborhood.  Other days, it might mean starting an actual conversation with the cashier or the waiter (which is a big deal for an introvert like me.)  When I’m feeling particularly brave, it might even mean buying a meal and giving it to the homeless person who lives in the park across the street.  It is so natural for me to center my day around my schedule, my needs, and my conveniences that I forget to see other humans around me as real people with real needs and hurts too.  Without meaning to, I become the priest or Levite who ignores people around me because I am absorbed with thinking about myself.  This is why I say I volunteer with Salt to make me a less self-centered person.       

I’m not sure if choosing to spend a few hours a quarter to love those who are marginalized everyday helps make the world that much better.  What I do know, however, is that the intentional carving of time to volunteer with SALT Collectiv reminds me I’m not alone in wanting to see every single person as a whole and complete human being.  Volunteering with SALT Collectiv expands my heart to love others I would not be naturally inclined to love.  I, alone, cannot make this world a better place.  Together, as a collective, we can hold each other accountable to love on the marginalized and illuminate that a better world is possible today.

—

1.) Where can I volunteer in Taiwan?

SALT Collectiv is a nonprofit headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan that hosts volunteer opportunities to serve the marginalized. Volunteer opportunities include serving the homeless through our SALT soup kitchen, orphanage visitations, elderly care, biannual beach cleanups, and our annual Christmas Giving Tree that gives over 1,000 gifts each year to the marginalized all over Taiwan. We also have fundraiser events such as trivia nights, bake sales, F45 workouts, carwashes, and many more. Our FUNdraiser events bring the fun into building our community. Come checkout our community and join the movement.  

2.) Can foreigners volunteer in Taiwan?

Yes! SALT Collectiv is a diverse international community of volunteers uniting for the purpose of making a lasting imprint for the vulnerable and marginalized. There are no prerequisites required to sign up for events and we welcome expats and locals alike to join our community. We ask only that you come with a heart to serve. When individuals come together, dedicating their time and talent to serve the marginalized, lives are touched and communities are transformed. In volunteering, you engage in causes bigger than yourself, cultivate meaningful relationships and positively impact your community.

3.) Is it possible to volunteer with children in Taiwan?

Yes! SALT Collectiv welcomes and encourages children of all ages to participate in our volunteer events. However, parents will be solely responsible for the actions, behavior, and whereabouts of their children.

READ MORE