Quiet and Consistent Service, Shared Impact: Shincheonji Volunteer Groups Supporting Communities in 2025
Across different cities in South Korea, one pattern quietly repeated itself throughout 2025.
Volunteers showed up—not for one-time events, but again and again—responding to real needs in everyday places.
From senior centres to veterans’ halls and neighbourhood streets, Shincheonji Volunteer Group branches carried out community-based, practical service rooted in consistency rather than visibility.
Caring for Seniors Through Regular Visits in Yongsan
In Yongsan District, the Namsan Branch focused on senior care through 15 regular volunteer activities involving more than 200 volunteers.
Rather than large-scale events, their approach centred on repeat visits and prior coordination with senior centres. Activities included:
✦ Dementia-prevention programmes
✦ Shared meals and conversation
✦ Hand massages and companionship
✦ Donations of rice and food supplies
At local senior centres, volunteers prepared activities carefully so older residents could participate comfortably. Over time, simple gestures - sharing meals, talking, listening - built trust.
The branch also worked alongside veterans’ facilities, donating supplies and offering commemorative photo sessions. Several institutions later expressed appreciation for the volunteers’ steady presence, not just the support itself.
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| On 24th October, the Namsan Branch of the Shincheonji Volunteer Group had lunch and a time of communication at a seniors club in Yongsan district, Seoul |
A Year of Consistent Service Across Gangwon Province
The Gangwon Regional Union carried out one of the broadest volunteer efforts in 2025.
From January through December:
✦ 4777 volunteers participated
✦ 306 service days were completed
✦ 16,788 residents received support
Activities spanned nine service areas, including:
✦ Food sharing, home repairs, briquette delivery, and kimchi preparation
✦ Disaster response such as flood recovery, heatwave preparedness, and wildfire prevention
✦ Environmental cleanups, senior care, disability support, and veterans’ remembrance
Several branches held activities honouring veterans, such as educational campaigns, intergenerational choir events, and memorial participation. These efforts earned 17 official commendations, recognising long-term commitment rather than short-term campaigns.
Everyday Support for Vulnerable Neighbours in Seongnam
In Seongnam, over 600 volunteers supported 2847 residents through what the branch described as “life-close” service.
Their work addressed multiple needs:
✦ Kimchi and bread sharing for seniors living alone
✦ Mobile haircut services and recreational visits to care facilities
✦ Environmental cleanups and heatwave prevention campaigns
✦ Assistance at disability vocational centres
Volunteers also delivered 1285 kg of kimchi to 148 households and began monthly baking programmes after receiving training from experienced bakers. Environmental efforts included weekly cleanups, collecting 765 litres of waste, and promoting carbon-reduction awareness through planting and walking campaigns.
The branch emphasised seasonal and situational support - adjusting activities based on weather, public health risks, and local requests.
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| The Seongnam branch of the Shincheonji Volunteer Group has been carrying out community-based volunteer work throughout the region throughout the year. |
From a Local Stream to Community Awareness in Eunpyeong
In Eunpyeong District, about 200 volunteers carried out 15 activities focused on environmental care, safety awareness, and veterans’ support.
Their work centred around Bulgwangcheon Stream, where volunteers:
✦ Conducted multiple cleanups along walking paths
✦ Collected general and recyclable waste to create visible improvements
✦ Engaged passersby through conversation rather than signage
They also hosted wildfire prevention campaigns, heatwave relief for veterans, and hands-on EM mud ball activities that allowed families and residents to learn about water quality through participation.
Organisers noted that turning campaigns into shared experiences helped residents see environmental care as part of daily life—not just an occasional project.
A Shared Approach Across Different Regions
While each branch responded to its own local context, the four stories shared clear similarities:
✦ Consistency over one-time events
✦ Advance communication with community partners
✦ Service designed around daily life, not formality
✦ Long-term relationships with seniors, veterans, and local institutions
The work often went unnoticed until others - senior centres, veterans’ groups, civic organisations - chose to speak up.
Service That Blends Into Daily Life
The common thread across these regions was not scale alone, but steadiness.
By returning regularly, listening first, and responding to what was actually needed, volunteers helped reduce everyday burdens - whether through meals, clean streets, shared conversation, or preparedness for seasonal risks.
In 2025, these efforts showed that meaningful community service does not always arrive loudly.
Often, it arrives quietly - on time, and again the next time it’s needed.
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