The Taiwan Fund for Children and Families in Yunlin is currently facing a dire situation. The charity group has not received a single donation since the Chinese New Year, and with only a few bags of rice left, the social workers are calling the public to lend a helping hand.

Single parent Mr. Tsai lost all vision in his right eye five years ago, and has only 0.1 vision in his left eye.

He and his daughter survive on welfare checks, but half of the 10,000 NT they receive per month goes to rent. Mr. Tsai collects recyclable materials to earn some extra money, and the family also sometimes receives commodities from charities.

There are an estimated 700 families like Mr. Tsai's in Yunlin County. However, local charities say that rising material prices have led to a huge decline in donations.

The Yunlin branch of the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families has not received a single donation since Chinese New Year, and its office now contains only a few bags of rice donated prior to the holiday.

Fund workers say that they receive daily requests from disadvantaged families for cooking oil, noodles, and canned goods, and hope that the public can help lessen the burden on those in need.