如果說我來SALT當志工是為了創造更好的明天，那就是在謊言。事實上，我來當志工是為了讓自己不再那麼以自我為中心。

在2010秋天，我的家人和兩隻黃金獵犬一起搬到台北，隨後我開始了4年的老師生涯。直到今天，我們有5個小孩和1隻黃金獵犬，而我主要的角色轉移成為家庭的主要核心，同時支持著我老公 – Pearl教會的主牧師Alex。

2018年的秋天是我第一次在SALT擔任志工，當時是我懷有6個月生孕，這是我第5個小孩，那時的我幾乎沒有自我拓展的時間。因此當我老公提供我週六早上休息，讓我可以去愛心廚房擔任志工的時候，我反駁了他：「我寧願在家裡睡到自然醒，非常感謝。」。儘管我的回覆非常地符合一般人的邏輯，但我的內心同時明白，我反射成了那種我不想成為的人。當然，我可以睡久一點，但同時，我也可以不再為自己找藉口，成為一位給予愛的好鄰居。

我想分享一個我最愛的好薩瑪利亞人故事。耶穌將這個故事告訴一位律師，當他在詢問耶穌誰將會是我的鄰居。這個故事被記載在聖經中的Luke之書，總是給予我挑戰，讓我更有意識地去將無條件的愛給予那些天生不被我所偏愛的人。簡而言之，這是關於好的薩瑪利亞人的故事：

 一位男子，可能是位猶太人，在前往耶利哥的路上被搶劫、剝光衣服並被毆打幾乎致死。有位牧師選擇了相同的路，看到了滿身是血的男子，但走向了另一條路並且繼續他的旅程。而後，有位看起來像是牧師侍從的利未人選擇了相同的路， 看到了正在流血結痂的人，但他和前面的牧師一樣，他選擇從其他的路繼續他的旅程。最後，有位討厭猶太人的薩瑪莉亞人，走向了相同的路徑，看到了被打傷的猶太人並且產生了同情心。這位薩瑪莉亞人停下他的旅程，走向了正在流血結痂的男子，清洗並包紮他的傷口，並帶他到一間旅店復原。隔天，這位薩瑪莉亞人留下了錢給旅店主人，請求他照顧這位受傷的猶太人，並且承諾如果需要更多錢的話，他會再次支付。當他確定受傷的猶太人將會被妥善照顧後，這位薩瑪莉亞人繼續了他前往耶利哥旅程。

當說完這個故事後，耶穌詢問律師這三個人，誰將受傷的猶太人當作他的朋友。完全沒有停頓，這位律師回覆：「展現仁慈的人。」。耶穌回覆了，他說：「去成為這樣的人吧。」。

去成為這樣的人吧。

這幾個字刺激了我。

在好薩瑪利亞人的故事中，我是牧師或著是利未人。我可以用無盡的方式表現我對神的愛，但我卻延遲在生活中反映出我的神性之愛，神願意對於敵人展現同情心，更不用說是個陌生人或是鄰居。我可以退回到其他可能性，牧師或是侍從利未人也許並不想要在去教堂的路上遲到？參加教會服務就可以被稱作是愛嗎？我不能等到小孩長大後，我擁有更多「自由」的時間後再去再去這些弱勢團體內當志工、和他們互動，並且成為他們的朋友嗎？

耶穌說得很清楚。不行，我不能等。愛著我的鄰居是有紀律、是一種習慣、是種生活方式。我不能用嘴巴說我愛神，但卻以我自己的舒服和方便為生活中心。我有五個小孩，這大概不會是一個最理想的時間，去有意識地愛著我的鄰居。但如果我真的愛著神，那愛著我的鄰居就是我生活中存在的頻率。

簡單來說，我需要每天認可自己的內在充滿著批判且冷酷無情，再做些小事情拯救自己不再過著冰冷的人生。 也許有幾天，是和住在附近的長輩道早安。其它天可能去和櫃檯人員或服務生開始一個真正的對話（這對內向的我來說是一件很大的轉變）。當我感到特別勇敢的時候，也許意味者我會買一個便當，給予對街上住在公園裡無家可歸的人。我的生活一直以我自己的行程、我的需求和我的方便為主，對我來說非常的自然。自然到讓我時常忘記去看到圍繞在我身邊的其他人，也是真實的人，有著真實的需求和傷痕。這不是刻意的，但我變成了故事中的牧師與侍從利未人，忽視了在我身邊的人，因為我全神貫注的在我自己的世界裡。這就是為什麼我說我到SALT當志工，是為了讓我自己不再那麼以自我為中心。

我不確定選擇花幾個小時去愛這些每天無時無刻被邊緣化的人，是否可以幫助這個世界變得更好。然而，我明確知道的是，我有意識地抽出時間和 SALT Collectiv一起擔任做志工，這件事提醒我，我不是唯一一位想將每一個人當作是完整且活生生的人。在SALT Collectiv擔任志工擴展了我的心，去愛其他我無法天生就偏愛的人。我一個人，可能無法讓世界變成一個更好的地方，但是大家一起，成為一個組織，我們可以明確的行動，將愛給予那些弱勢團體，並且在行動的當下看到，那個更好的世界是有可能的。

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1.) 在台灣我可以到哪裡去當志工呢？

SALT Collectiv是個總部位於台北非營利組織，提供為弱勢團體服務的志工機會。這些機會包含透過愛心廚房給予流浪漢食物、探訪孤兒院、長者照護、一年兩次的淨灘活動和一年一度的聖誕節的禮物樹活動，我們會送出超過一千的禮物到全台的弱勢團體。我們同時籌備了募款活動，像是知識問答之夜、烘培義賣、F45健身日、公益洗車和其他有趣的或動。我們透過這些有趣的募款活動打造了我們獨特的社群。歡迎來走走，或是立刻行動加入我們的大家庭。

2.) 外國人可以在台灣擔任志工嗎？

是的！SALT Collectiv是個多元化且國際化的志工團體，志工目的是為了讓弱勢和邊緣化團體被好好的看照著。不需要任何先決條件就可以報名參加我們的活動，我們歡迎外籍人士和當地人加入我們的團體。我們只要求你帶這一顆服務他人的心。當各種獨特的個體團聚再一起，付出他的時間和才華去服務這些弱勢團體，生命被照護著，而社群也將被轉化。在擔任志工的過程，你投入了超越自我的事業、培育了充滿意義的關係並正向地影響著你原本的社群。

3.) 我可以帶著小孩一起擔任志工嗎？

是的！SALT Collectiv歡迎且鼓勵所有年齡層的小孩參與我們的志工活動。然而，父母必須為自己小孩的行動、言行舉止和行蹤負責。

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.