CYUT was commissioned by Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare to host the 2025 International Conference and Workshop on In-Kind Benefits, bringing together leading experts from Germany, the United States, Japan, and South Korea. The event, led by Dr. Chuan-Ching Hwang of CYUT’s Social Work Department and co-organized with the Alliance of Taiwan Foodbanks, focused on global best practices in food bank operations, policy frameworks, and service delivery.

In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister Jen-Der Lue highlighted the Ministry’s long-term commitment to serving vulnerable populations, noting that Taiwan’s in-kind benefit programs, including food banks, have supported more than 3.13 million service cases last year.

International speakers offered a comprehensive look at global models: Al Brislain of the United States, former vice president of Feeding America, shared insights on nationwide food bank development, logistics standards, and key donation legislation; Sabine Werth of Germany, founder of the Tafel movement, presented Germany’s volunteer-driven model focused on fresh food rescue; Kim Soung Yee of South Korea, former Minister of Health and Welfare, outlined the country’s centralized distribution system supported by the 2006 Food Donation Promotion Act; and Charles McJilton of Japan, founder of Second Harvest Japan, discussed Japan’s civil-society-led approach and emphasized the importance of trust-based, cross-sector collaboration.

Taiwanese food bank leaders and government representatives also participated in panel discussions covering fundraising, warehousing, logistics, information governance, ethics, food education, and local policy planning. Students from Kang Chiao International School shared their volunteer experiences, adding a youth perspective to the dialogue. The forum strengthened international collaboration and provided valuable direction for advancing Taiwan’s in-kind benefit policies and food bank development.