JC PROJECT LIFT Ambassador Leung Fuk-ming said, “They’re building from the ground up. I hope to give them a sense of safety.”
A home is more than four walls, keepsakes, and furniture—it is the people and memories that make it a sanctuary.
When the Wang Fuk Court No. 5 alarm fire displaced over 2,000 households overnight, residents faced an urgent challenge—finding shelter and beginning recovery. Many turned to family and friends; others waited in temporary shelters.
Within 48 hours, JC PROJECT LIFT joined hands with the Jockey Club Emergency Relief
Fund, operators of the transitional housing sites and community partners, and turned over 500 empty units into liveable homes.
Pulling together
Family Capacity Building Planners Coco Wong, Jimmy Lam, and Ying Wong from JC PROJECT LIFT’s Ngau Tau Kok site quickly assisted at Tai Po. “In the first hours, we applied our experience and identified where help was needed most,” Coco recalled. “As donationed supplies poured in, we consolidated the resources and connected them with families in need.” In less than seven weeks, the team has provided relocation subsidy to over 1,800 displaced households.
Transitional housing operators also extended essential support through services like childcare assistance. Eager LIFT Ambassadors spontaneously organised and distributed supplies to their affected neighbours, exemplifying the spirit of mutual support and neighbourly care.
Many residents—especially elderly people or those who had lost their phones in the fire—had trouble staying connected. Staff and volunteers went door to door with updates, and warm soup. In the first two days, many Tai Po residents were still in shock, anxiously waiting for news about their loved ones, friends and homes. Simply having company and a pair of listening ears often mattered most. In the corridors, some doors stayed open as families welcomed repeated visits from LIFT Ambassadors, staff and neighbours, allowing natural moments of connection to emerge and helping the community reconnect and gather strength, even in the face of adversity.
They’re building from the ground up. I hope to give them a sense of safety.Leung Fuk-ming, JC PROEJCT LIFT Ambassador
Community connections
As families settled, shared meals in the community hall brought people together. New and existing residents swapped Tai Po memories—from old bus rides to playground days—building bonds in their temporary space.
LIFT participants, including families receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance, showed remarkable compassion. One resident cooked meals for newcomers and refused payment, saying, “It’s simple, but it’s what I can do.” Another shared, “I may not have much, but I’ll help however I can.”
One of the LIFT Ambassadors and residents at the Fan Kam Road transitional housing site, Leung Fuk-ming (Ming), embodied this spirit. Ming worked with the team to furnish units the evening before arrivals. In the misty morning after, he waited outside his home to welcome Wang Fuk Court families.
“They’re building from the ground up. I hope to give them a sense of safety,” Ming said.
Grateful new residents responded with relief: “Thank you for the beds—I was terrified about having nowhere to sleep.” An elderly woman immediately filmed her furnished room to show it to her children abroad, saying, “Don’t worry, I’m settled now.”
Lifting each other through difficult times
In times of loss and uncertainty, it was the small acts of care—a shared meal, a word of comfort, a helping hand—that reminded everyone they were not alone. Together with neighbours and volunteers, the JC PROJECT LIFT team offered not just temporary homes, but a sense of security anchoring the community through recovery.
Did you know?
This response reflects one of JC PROJECT LIFT's missions. Launched in 2023, the project collaborates with 18 partners across 24 transitional housing sites and two light public housing sites. Through five targeted social innovations and dedicated community hubs, it builds family capacities for sustainable livelihoods.
Up to January 2026, a network of over 90 Family Capacity Building Planners and 150 LIFT Ambassadors anchor this work, jointly driving family capacity building and fostering a resilient, uplifting community filled with positive energy.
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