Residents eat lunch at a community meal site in Chunjiang community, Shangcheng district of Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, June 12, 2026.
At 11am, the aroma of lunch begins to drift through Chunjiang community in Shangcheng district, Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. Elderly residents gather at the community's meal service site, chatting as they wait for the meal service to begin.
Just a year and a half ago, many of these seniors had to walk nearly a kilometre to reach the nearest restaurant for a meal. Today, they can enjoy hot lunches right at their doorstep. It all began with a simple message.
Zhu Shujian, a retired resident of Chunjiang community, had long noticed the problem during his daily walks and chats with neighbours. The community is home to more than 900 residents aged 60 and above, and mealtime was a frequent concern.
"Many seniors here live alone. Cooking for one is troublesome, and eating out is not always convenient," Zhu said.
