A Red Cross program aimed at providing food to disaster-stricken people in the run-up to China's lunar new year Spring Festival kicked off Beijing January 21.

Peng Peiyun, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and president of the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC), officially announced the start of the program.

Four groups from the RCSC will be sent to disaster-stricken areas in Qinghai, Shaanxi, Hebei, Shanxi, Zhejiang, Inner Mongolia,Xinjiang and Tibet, along with truckloads of meat and edible oil and flour.

Over the past year, more than 20 provinces and autonomous regions were struck by natural disasters.

To help people in these areas enjoy a happy Spring Festival season, the RCSC initiated the program and called on its subordinates across the country for support.

The RCSC also allocated 1.5 million yuan ( 181,000 US dollars) to buy meat, edible oil and flour to be sent to the disaster-hit masses.

Peng expressed the hope that people in these areas will be able to have a happy Spring Festival with help from the government and various disaster relief organizations.

Earlier, RSCS Vice President Sun Aiming went to Yuhang and Yongjia in East China's Zhejiang Province and delivered the donated foods to the poor and weak there.