Chongqing — A public welfare campaign in Chongqing has provided 3,500 free breakfasts to sanitation workers as part of efforts to support outdoor workers during the summer heat.

On Aug. 10, a public welfare campaign launched a special care initiative through the "Cooling Stations" program. The program partnered with Chongqing New Qinyuan Bakery to provide free "heartwarming breakfasts" to sanitation workers.

Before dawn, Chongqing New Qinyuan Bakery’s central factory in Jiulongpo District was already operating at full capacity. At 4 a.m., production lines began preparing bread specially made for the public welfare campaign.

Freshly baked bread is packaged and prepared for delivery to Cooling Stations across central Chongqing as part of the "Cool Summer With Yu" campaign at Qinyuan Central Factory in Jiulongpo District in the early morning of Aug. 10. (Photo/Zuohan Environment Company)

By 5 a.m., 3,500 freshly baked bread items had been packaged and transported to Cooling Stations across Chongqing’s central urban areas.

At 8 a.m., at the Cooling Station in Zhaomushan Park in Liangjiang New Area, volunteers from Zoann Environmental Services distributed bread, milk and other breakfast items to sanitation workers.

Sanitation worker Tian Juman received a breakfast bag and smiled as she told her colleague, “I often buy Qinyuan bread for my granddaughter.”

After receiving his breakfast, sanitation worker He Qingming sat on nearby steps, drinking milk and eating bread. A colleague joked that he had already eaten breakfast.

A sanitation worker enjoys a complimentary breakfast as part of the "Cool Summer With Yu" campaign in Kangmei Subdistrict, Chongqing Liangjiang New Area, on Aug. 10. (Photo/He Saige)

“I ate steamed buns after 4 a.m. and have been sweeping for three hours, so that energy has already been used up,” He said. “My WeChat step count has reached 12,000 today. This is exactly the right time to have something to eat.”

The two workers sat in the shade of the trees, chatting over breakfast.

“Sanitation workers start their summer shifts very early. By 9 or 10 a.m., many of them are already hungry. We hope to provide them with some energy and let them feel the care and respect from society,” said Guo Miaomiao, human resources director of Zoann Environmental Services.

At 10 a.m., in Kangmei Subdistrict of Liangjiang New Area, volunteers continued distributing bread and milk along different routes.

Zhou Changying, 60, has worked as a sanitation worker in the Dazhulin area for 20 years. She said working conditions have improved significantly.

“Now people provide breakfast, and there are also Cooling Stations where we can rest and drink water,” she said. “Society is showing more care and respect for sanitation workers. I feel this job is honorable.”

According to the organizers, Chongqing New Qinyuan Bakery will also carry out free breakfast distribution activities in mid-August.