Taipei: Unlike most Taipei residents, Chang Yun-hsiang's first view in the morning is the open sky. His alarm is the sound of increasing vehicular and pedestrian traffic near Taipei Main Station, where he sleeps on the street a block away.

According to Focus Taiwan, Chang, one of the roughly 3,000 registered homeless people in Taiwan, often starts his day by purchasing a bun or sandwich for NT$49 (US$1.60) at a nearby convenience store. After enduring years of domestic violence, he has been homeless since the age of 17. Due to a heart condition, he cannot hold down a permanent job and instead relies on odd jobs to sustain himself.

Each Tuesday, Chang works at a soup kitchen in Wanhua District, where he heats bread and prepares meals for disadvantaged individuals. For his work, he receives NT$300 and a boxed lunch, which he appreciates for its nutritious content, especially the vegetables. He recalls the pain of going without food for days when he had no money, surviving only on water to quell his hunger.

Back at Taipei Main Station, Chang finds solace in a community space managed by the nonprofit group Do You A Flavor. Here, he works three hours a day, three days a week, maintaining the cleanliness of the space. Meals provided by nonprofit organizations, like those brought by his friend "Brother Wu," help sustain him.

The real challenge the homeless face, according to Tsai Ming-chieh, manager of the nonprofit Wanderers' Lodge, is not the complete lack of food but the imbalance in resource distribution. During festive periods, donations surge, leading to an abundance of food, whereas, in other times, donations dwindle, leaving the homeless with little to eat.

Winny Wen, founder of the Ark Volunteer Team, emphasizes the importance of the quality of food provided to the homeless. Her team, operating since 2017, serves porridge every Tuesday evening and refrains from accepting donations of sugary items, considering the poor dental health of many homeless individuals. Wen highlights the significance of building connections through food and stresses the need for public understanding of the challenges faced by homeless individuals.

In Taiwan, the greater issue is not the availability of food but the need for care, respect, and equal treatment for the homeless, Wen asserts. The efforts of organizations and volunteers aim to bridge this gap, providing not just meals but also essential support services.