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.
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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.
