A NEW couple has donated 12,999 yuan (US$1,912) of the gift money they received to establish a charity fund under Shenzhen Project Care Foundation.

Yang Haijun and Zhou Yanlin named the fund “Grandma Care” in memory of Yang’s maternal grandmother. It is the first fund established and named by individuals this year, according to the foundation.

Yang and Zhou registered their marriage recently and plan to hold their wedding in Yang’s hometown in Hunan later this month. Yang, manager of the Charity Foundation Development Department of Shenzhen Project Care Foundation, said he was cared for by his maternal grandmother throughout his entire childhood and has been influenced by his grandmother’s kindheartedness and benevolence, which also contributed to his decision to take a job at a charity organization.

“My grandma’s biggest wish was to see me get married and have a son. Unfortunately, she passed away three years ago,” Yang said, adding that he wanted to set up the fund as a way to remember his grandmother and practice benevolence. His wife supported the idea.

The fund will be used to help the elderly and children and give them care and love, Yang said.

Tong Qiao, secretary general of Shenzhen Project Care Foundation, praised the couple, saying their donation will make their wedding much more meaningful. Project Care Foundation started the practice of allowing individuals to name a charity project if they donate at least 10,000 yuan in 2012. The donors can also decide which charity project will benefit from the donated money. Since 2012, individuals and groups have set up nearly 300 such funds, raising a total of over 13 million yuan.

Donors can check how the funds are being used, and the expenditures of the funds are published on the foundation’s website to promote transparency.  (Lin Min)