Except for the food sharing meal of the food sharing plan, they also have a coffee class activity every year, and there will be one to two terms of youth courses each year. This course will last at least half a year, like last year, the term starts from March to September. Train some kids transfer from schools, clubs, and foundation, teach them. And the food sharing fridge outside, the main parts this three things.
1. Except for the operation of the store, what other things will be done?
Cause while forming Book House 60, the steps are different from normal shops. Usually, there will be an evaluation, see if this location is good for opening a cafe. Forming Book House 60 is because of the cooperation with Carrefour, there is the first phase of coffee training. At that time, the class is opening on the exercising land for elders. There is a smaller base, and also a simpler Italian coffee maker. There is only one, and some tools, teaching in an easier way. The neighborhood manager promises the kids if they pass the City & Guilds test, then he will help them to open a cafe. So they can work here, and gain experience. Because we cooperate with Carrefour, they give us equipment, so we can form this cafe. So the steps of opening Book House 60 is different from what we normally do to open a shop. It is more like the neighborhood manager wants these kids to have a place to learn, also we want to make the food sharing fridge. This is because the manager sees lots of food thrown away in Carrefour. So he wants to use this area to put bread into it and share them.
2. What kind of difficulties did you encounter while running the store, such as cash flow, site, etc?
There is only a little amount of difficulties. At the beginning of cooperating, we were just making the food bank, Our origin was all starting from the food bank. You go to Carrefour to buy things, you buy three cans, you can give one to Carrefour. Carrefour would contact with the food bank around, then donate to them, later on, they cooperate with leftovers, like food almost pass through the time limit. Because now, when we go to Carrefour, there will be a section named as ugly vegetables or almost outdated. There would sell those things. If no one buy those things, Carrefour would send those food to us. However in the early times, we discover that the food they send our either already rotten, our can’t eat. That is a pretty big problem. After communicating with Carrefour, we hope they can do basic picking, it means that they don’t share things that are rotten etc. However, rhizomes and carat etc. would be send to here even the expiration date had gone.
3. Is there any difficulties cooperating with Carrefour?
Recruiting workers isn’t a problem for us. But half of our workers are the teenager from the coffee classroom. They come here for practice. It had come to the 3rd term, and teenagers from the first term had worked in here for one year. Some of them are still studying, and some of them are more willing to work in other cafe shop.
4. Does this restaurant had problems on recruiting workers?
The main manager is still us, and servitor would assist us. Because beside the main operating on restaurant. We would attend some market or activity per months. Book House 60 is quite famous in Taipei. So we often attend some of the activity. For instance, we had attended a youth book exhibition last weekend. Teenagers that were learning coffee in the classroom went there and pour over some coffee for them.
5. Who is the main operator of this restaurant?
Currently, their own manage like training. Their ability and many other faces are the same as other teenager at the age of 18 that I had met in my previous career. These teenager had no difference. The only difference is the teenager who works in here are more willing to work. Compare to teenagers at the age 18 that I had met in my previous career. Teenagers would work for their own allowance. For example, if they earn more $3000 from here, they can have extra food for themselves. But, for some of the teenager who works in here, the salary they got is their living expenses. They let me feel like this job is very precious to them. Yet, they have different learning speed. Because not everyone is interest in catering. For them, it might seems like a job rather than an interest. But if they can do up to 80%, then it is fine for me.
Most of the teenager that come from the coffee class have a chance to practice for one term. For example, 24 hours or 16 hours. If they have willingness to keep working in here, then they would stay here to work for long term. Some of the teenager are still studying in school. We had met some of the teenager that they don’t go to school very often. So they would be report as dropout student. But their family financial situation has no problem. So for him, he doesn’t necessarily need the job. However, some of the teenager come from low income family or have other problem. Which they it would be necessary for them to have this job.
6. How do you manage these teenager or workers to work together?
7. How does Book House 60 recruit the workers? Do they come with their own willingness or you had recruited them?
Suppose that many places have already operated their restaurant with sharing the leftovers with people who need them. However, House Book 60 also provide a place for teenagers to make coffee. So, it special from the others. But, we’re finding a method, we need expenses for operating coffee session. But the expenses might exceed your revenue. Because it cost thousands of dollars to participate in coffee session and license fee. Actually, each of the children, Sometimes the money we spent on those students often exceeds our income. So, we hope that if the sharing food plan can popularize to the public, then we will be willing to spread our plan. We are making effort on the food sharing fridge. Actually, Mr. Feng is doing this in many communities.
8. Does Book House 60 has plan on branching out more restaurant in other places?
Multiples of the foundation have come to discuss we use before. However, we want not only a coffee shop, Mr. Feng wants to establish a place for the community’s teenagers. Just like the program, we did before, the factory for those dropouts students. He hopes to teach these children a skill. For example, children can learn a skill in the factory that they can apply them at any time, anywhere. Not only learning how to make coffee, for instance, they can set up a factory at Tainan that teaches woodwork, or any other skills. We hope that we can help those children who do not like to learn at school or dropouts a skill to learn.
9. What is your expectation on this system about food sharing?
When it comes to the food sharing plan, many shops have cooperated with the food sharing fridge. And markets or even Huannan Market. The food you see are not only from the Carrefour. First Bank also collaborate with us, for example, the cabbage that was abundant recently, they supply us with approximately 1000 kilogram of cabbage. Then we may deliver to many different places. But let’s say Carrefour is our main supplier. But there are still may bakeries like Gakuden, or Wu Pao Chun Bakery. Or any other bakeries, if they are willing to share, then we can hand over to others. And we will have different routes for us to deliver food to different places. For example, this route is to collect certain food from certain bakeries. If this bakery wish to coordinate with our program, then, we will set a spot that we will go to collect food every day.
10. Except for the cooperation with the Carrefour Foundation, are you willing to work with organizations that focus on the food sharing plan?
Basically, there is a food bank that Mr. Feng also work with other organization for the New Taipei City and Taipei City. For instance, this community is working on a senior meal program or the after school help for the children. Sometimes, if we have abundant supplies and food, then we will contact those foundations. For example, after the 2017 Summer Universiade finished, due to the reason that they hire foreign business for athletes’ food supplies. There are many leftovers after the Summer Universiade finished. And the Organization, which held the Summer Universiade will contact with Mr. Feng. He will drive to collect those food supplies and deliver to New Taipei City, Yilan, or other foundations.
11. What will you do, if there is superfluous food left in the food sharing fridge?
In terms of the food sharing program and the coffee restaurant, we will still be focusing on those two. Because we’re doing under the social welfare. But, Mr. Feng wants to expand his program. For instance, ZhongYi Elementary School will become a social assistance area. Mr. Feng wants to add more on this social assistance area.
12. Will you provide other services in the future?
When Mr. Feng is first doing this program, he did not mention that he will help all kids in Taipei City. At first, he just wants to help kids in his own community. About 10 years ago, when I was young, he has been already doing programs that help kids for the after-school counselling. He was doing this for Zhong Qin Community. And he is not extending his project further away from his own community. There are also kids from Guting Junior High. If there are any difficulties in their families, or they did not have enough money to go to cram school. They may come and stud here. Not only these, you guys have visited how the senior meal plan. It is because elders often come out at this time, when it is about 5 or 6 o’clock, that place will be filled with children and teenagers.
13. Is there any other subject you will be willing to assist in the future? For example, kids, or stray cats and dogs
You might want to ask Mr. Feng for this question. However, money was the major problem that Mr. Feng faced. Because he was not a rich man when he started, so he was not able to take care all of these. For instance, senior meal plan costs money. Government also subsidize, but not completely. The government may subsidize twenty dollars for only twenty elders. Then Mr. Feng might ask for aid from other foundation for the rest of the elders. We can continue working on this plan, if there we can get aid and money from them. So, we have to build up a relationship with them. For example, Carrefour Foundation establish a plan annually, if you success the plan by yourself to help people, then might subsidize money with you.
14. Did you ever want to give up while doing the programs?
The reason why those teenagers will have bad behavior is mainly due to their families background. We have to first clarify the reason that caused them to behaviored badly. Sometimes is because they have the difficulties on reading and writing. But, they might be interested in making coffee. They are not able to learn well in school, however, they are enthusiasm for making coffee. So, it comes to a complementary skill they can practice. For example, there is a test to see whether what you are good at. Through this method, students can know what they want to do in the future. And we will request their opinion in the coffee session after the practice. He may love making coffee, but he does not necessarily have to work in a cafe. Because your occupation may not be connected to your interest. He had a job in a supermarket, however, he still engages making coffee as an additional study.
15. What is your attitude when working with teenage dropouts?
16. Are there people come to take food in the sharing fridge but they don’t have the need?
The most special point of the food sharing fridge is that it is for everyone , no matter who you are, you can have the bread as long as you wait in line. We don’t distinguish people based on their social identity. Young people and kids also has the need. For instance, there were a pair of sisters who came for two or three days. Then Mr.Feng asked their purpose for coming. They said that they live in NeiHu. They came because they saw that there are free breads in the news. And their parents are divorced. They live with their dad, but he isn’t at home for most of the time. But their parents both thought that one another would take care of the children, so they were afraid to tell their parents. Telling their parents wouldn’t make any difference, so they decided to come to the fridge. Eventually we noticed the social workers for further help.
So far the food amount is inadequate rather than abundant. We send the bread out at four, but after half and hour when the fridge is empty, there might still be people waiting in line.
17. Is the food always taken completely?
We have limited amount of food everyday. But since we do not have social identity restrictions, we wouldn’t know your problem. However, wherever you are, and you have the need. Some people ask for helping their neighbors to take the food since they are unable to go out. But why can’t they? Are they disabled?Then Mr.Feng will arrange social workers to their apartment and provide help. If they really can’t go out, we offer delivery. For example, if they receive boxed lunch everyday, that bread will not be a necessity. The volunteering lady serves in the senior meal program and also the delivery of bread. She discovered that some elders had lunch but still came and ask for the bread. So she asked why would he take the bread, she delivers dinner later. It’s just…humanity. People love free stuff. There will always be people like that, but still, our aim is about sharing. So don’t bother about who gets it. We wish that since you take it, you finish the meal and don’t throw it away.
18. If someone didn’t get their needs, what is the reaction that you would take?
We mainly focus on Book House 60 and the coffee session. A team of volunteers manages the food sharing fridge along with some truck driver. They are in charge together. At first, we worked everything as a whole, but more shops associated with the food sharing fridge. So we established a team with three truck drivers and some volunteers and elders from the senior meal program. They are willing to help with the work. Then put the bread in the fridge.
19. How do you arrange simultaneous management?
It is fine with the food sharing fridge, but not the senior meal program. Since this is a marginalized community, there are more and more elders who want to join the program. But we only offer NTD twenty dollars per meal. For that reason, we need more money to support the programs.
20. Have you ever encountered financial issues?
We only started these few years ago. So they are about twenty. We provide after school help for children and Mr. Feng said that a junior high student who participated the program applies for faculty. He often come back and meet of with the volunteer lady. Like an interaction.
21. Do any of them who once received help from you give feedback or show appreciation?
As usual, we planned a annual fundraising dinner for the senior meal program. The Rotary and The Lions Club were helped with the programs. For this time, we organized a banquet. Willing to provide the ingredients, Dachan Food were in charge of cooking the meals. We also cooperate with schools. We cooperate with the Department of Restaurant and Institutional Management of Shih Chien University this month. The students serve the food and elders. National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism were in charge of the banquet. Their students served the elders, too. We collaborate with students who study restaurant and institutional management.
22. Do you associate with other charities to promote these program and fund for Book House 60?
