Ensuring that the supply of ready-to-eat food meets demand when disaster strikes is imperative, which is why Anding District Office and food company Ami Duofu signed a contract entitled Purchasing of Disaster Aid Resources for Anding District. The district had previously signed a similar contract with a bento store, so the district office took into consideration the possibility that flood conditions could make it impossible for this store to supply food. The contract with Ami Duofu, a Tainan City company located in Sinshih District, would supply enough bentos (or lunch boxes) for 1,000 people. This news represents that Anding District has taken another important step forward in having mechanisms set up with other districts, thereby making sure Anding gets necessary resources whenever a disaster begins wreaking havoc.
Anding District’s goal has always been to be able to provide disaster victims with enough prepared food. But heavy rains that started last year on August 22 proved too devastating, as flooding turned the communities of many households into disaster areas. The district had signed a contract with a bento store, yet this company was unable to supply as many bentos as needed. This event served as a reminder for what would be needed when a plan goes awry. The district office considered the location of potential partners as a requirement, because the company needed to be local yet being too close could be problematic if large-scale flooding occurred in Anding District. Receiving ready-to-eat food from another Tainan City district therefore would be an effective solution. Located in the neighboring district of Sinshih, Ami Duofu both supported and praised the plan, and the company agreed to form a partnership with Anding District after both parties briefly discussed the situation. By agreeing to take part in this mindful act of disaster preparedness, Ami Duofu guarantees that it’ll be able to provide food to Anding if, and when, disaster strikes.
When it comes to what district offices should provide disaster victims, District Chief Liu Shih-Hsiung said that emergency shelters and supplying necessity goods are the foundation. But the district took into consideration the possibility of a large-scale disaster impeding relief efforts, as when this happens goods either can’t be supplied or an insufficient amount will be delivered. So, when nature is at a ceasefire, pre-disaster preparations include cross-district agreements with private companies that supply goods, which will improve the efficacy of local disaster prevention and relief units when a disaster hits. Anding wants to establish a new system so that it’s in place before a disaster strikes, and that’s the purpose of this agreement with a cross-district company for the purchase of disaster relief goods. Therefore, this agreement will be a more complete support mechanism that supplies the district’s disaster victims with ready-to-eat food. Anding District would like to thank Ami Duofu for its enormous support and cooperation, as the company’s full commitment to disaster relief is emblematic of the Chinese spirit of “when others go hungry, we feel hungry, too”.