Yunlin County Little Angel Development Association (YCLADA), is a group comprised of families with mentally or physically disabled kids, currently provides support services to over 100 such families The Little Heart-Heart Atelier (the Atelier) is a bakery set up by the YCLADA to provide a work and care environment for mentally or physically disabled youngsters aged 15 or above who are not housed in other social welfare institutions. The goal is to cultivate their abilities to take care of themselves through group learning in preparation for future assisted employment while preventing them from staying at home and suffering from degeneration to reduce the care burden on the family.

As the Atelier had taken on more members, their existing venue was too small. They needed to move to a new address to accommodate everyone. On hearing of this, Chang Yung-Fa Charity Foundation instantly offered sponsorship to accommodate these youngsters during the day so that they could keep on learning and growing to one day move onto a sheltered workshop. Meanwhile, these youngsters learn from doing and earn a certain amount of income to gain confidence and self-recognition. The Foundation chairman Wu Jing-Ming also visited the Atelier in person, baking cookies alongside the Atelier members who may not be quick with their hands but were earnest and consistent in following instructions. We were impressed by them.

Lin Gan, director of the YCLADA stated that “The Atelier is run like a simulated workplace and designed to train the logic & reasoning and operation capability of those with mental or physical disabilities in order for them to develop a positive work attitude. Thank you to Chang Yung-Fa Charity Foundation for supporting the YCLADA so as to serve more youngsters with mental or physical disabilities. Much like the name of the bakery, “Little Heart Heart Atelier”, doing and seeing everything wholeheartedly, and the Foundation does exactly that: caring for the YCLADA wholeheartedly.