GUANGZHOU, April 18 (Xinhua) -- At noon, Zeng, a woman in her 60s, puts down her brush pen and goes for lunch downstairs.
She has ordered chicken steamed with mushrooms, tofu stir-fried with pork, a plate of vegetables and a bowl of soup for 12 yuan (1.9 U.S. dollars).
"For each meal, the government gives me 3 yuan in subsidies," said Zeng at a canteen in the Liurong Pension Service Center in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province.
The canteen is one of 928 "canteens for the elderly" in Guangzhou.
So far, all the streets and communities in Guangzhou have at least one such canteen, according to the city government.
Zeng said the canteens cater to a wide range of dietary preferences.
"Some people don't eat fish, some don't eat eggs," Zeng said. "They plan the meals specially for us."
Zeng said that since the canteen was built on Liurong Street one year ago, she and fellow senior citizens have come here every day.
"Some come to buy meals alone and take them home to share with their family," she said.
Liurong Street, where Zeng lives, has more than 20,000 elderly people, and more than 8,000 are widowed or live alone.
"Seven such canteens have been built in the community," said Ceng Caiping, who is in charge of the service center. "They have been very well received, and senior citizens can reach the canteens within 15 minutes."
The Guangzhou government said in its 2016 government report that such catering services would be provided to give the elderly "a sense of happiness." While giving out subsidies, the government also called for donations to help build the canteens.
In addition to the canteens, the service center in Liurong also provides other activities, such as medical services and training classes.
Zeng joined a class on calligraphy as well as an electronic organ class.
"One of the most popular classes is about smart phones," Zeng said. "Many have applied to learn how to use WeChat."
"I really like the canteen and the training sessions," Zeng added. "They have enriched my life."
