Shanghai United Foundation hosted a family charity hike for the second year on East and West Sheshan Mountain on Nov 7, to raise money for the elderly in need of help in Shanghai.

Last year, over 1,000 participants joined the hike and collected more than 250,000 yuan ($39,394) in donations, which supported five charity projects and four non-profit organizations in Shanghai, benefiting 700 elderly people.

This year, the event attracted more than 400 families. Participants had to climb over East and West Sheshan Mountain in a route totaling 8 kilometers. Families were encouraged to form several coalitions to expand the influence of the charity project by calling for donations through the Internet or from their friends.

Route for the family charity hike.

The organizer also prepared some interactive games for children along the road. Children were able to learn about the value of social interaction by playing games like art creation and having lucky draws.

This year's event introduced the idea of "Friends Asking Friends". Each family coalition has its own webpage for donations and is able to display the latest progress online and ask for more donations from relatives and friends.

Shanghai United Foundation, founded in Dec 2009, aims at uniting communities to contribute to public undertakings. With the population of Shanghai continuing to age, its charity hike for the benefit of older people is gaining attention, and has become one of the country's most influential public sector activities, with donations to date totaling 22.52 million yuan ($3.55 million). All the donations raised this year will be given to Shanghai non-profit organizations working for the elderly.