JLL supports the Jockey Club Food Assistance Programme with GIS Technology

HONG KONG, February 14, 2023 – JLL is delighted to support expansion of the Automated Food Dispenser Service network of the Jockey Club Food Assistance Programme via our Geographic Information System (GIS) technology and strong property management network. We hope this innovative approach will help to facilitate the Programme expansion plan, which aims to better address users’ needs through allocating 70 food dispenser machines across the city.

The Jockey Club Food Assistance Programme (JCFAP) is initiated and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust in collaboration with six NGOs, a multidisciplinary consulting team and CSR partners to provide food assistance for people facing financial hardship. The Programme has adopted two innovative initiatives to expand its reach and cater to different people’s needs, including Electronic Food Banks and the Automated Food Dispenser (AFD) Service.

Leveraging data from the GIS technology of JLL's Valuation Advisory department, and the professional knowledge of our Property Management department with its extensive network, JCFAP project partner Food Angel will quickly identify correlations between the location of existing JCFAP AFD machines and users, and more importantly, issues pertaining to the machine allocation strategy going forward.

Over the past few months, JLL's Property Management team has been liaising with property owners and successfully identified a suitable location at 88 Kwai Cheong Road in Kwai Chung, where an AFD was installed in November 2022. It is the first time JCFAP has located a site using GIS technology and was JLL’s first attempt to support beneficiaries in the district using its technology and client network.

In response to the increase in demand for food support resulting from the prolonged pandemic, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust is committed to developing an innovative user-centric technology platform with an all-in-one service system and food delivery channels with nutritious food options which are data-informed and available 24/7 so as to meet users’ diverse needs, reduce food waste and stigma of food assistance. With the help of supporting organisation, the project can make use of data management capability to make site hunting easier and maximising the support for underprivileged families. For details of JCFAP, please visit: https://jcfoodprog.hk/

Wendy Chan, Growth Director of Valuation Advisory Services at JLL in Greater China, said: "JLL has been dedicated to fulfilling our commitment to the local community, especially when local underprivileged families were hit by the fifth wave of the pandemic. In order to gain a holistic view of the current situation, we conducted a portfolio review and market research on the JCFAP AFD services. On top of the existing data, big data from various sources was adopted to generate insights for strategic planning. With the capacity to offer a one-stop service, our team worked with the Property Management Department and identified potential sites for machine placement which are convenient for the service’s target users. We were excited to help JCFAP identify two spots and will continue to collaborate with them."

CH Chung, Head of Property Management at JLL in Hong Kong, said: "As one of the biggest property management companies in Hong Kong, JLL manages buildings across the city, making it easier for us to identify potential placement sites for the AFD machines. Considering the accessibility of the machines, the optimal location of each machine was advised for all districts. We facilitated the communication and collaboration between several parties to ensure the machines could be placed at suitable locations with efficient use of time and resources. We are grateful to work with property owners that share our CSR aspiration to collaborate with us in this meaningful programme to build a better tomorrow.