KE Holdings' "Health Home Care Guardian Fund," established through personal donations from co-founders Peng Yongdong and Shan Yigang, has now been operational for six months. On August 24, the company publicly released the fund's semi-annual performance data.
Since its inception in February 2026, the fund has extended its reach to 56 cities nationwide. As of August 24, it has disbursed a total of 6.76 million yuan in emergency assistance to 161 frontline housing industry workers, including real estate agents, store owners, and maintenance technicians. Among the recipients, five individuals have each received cumulative assistance of 200,000 yuan or more, while 25 have secured support of 100,000 yuan or above. The remaining 131 workers received the 20,000 yuan "Life Emergency Aid" payment, designed to ease immediate financial pressure following a critical illness diagnosis.
Of all beneficiaries, 101 are also members of KE's "Green Plan." Notably, 11 service professionals successfully stacked benefits from both programs, receiving a combined 809,400 yuan in total support. The "Green Plan," in place since 2008, offers a maximum aid of 2 million yuan and operates independently of the Guardian Fund, creating a two-tier protection model that combines rapid emergency relief with substantial long-term coverage.
The assistance data also sheds light on the health profile of housing service workers. Statistical analysis of claims from both protection programs reveals 449 distinct illness categories, characterized by high incidence of a few conditions alongside a broad dispersion of others. Malignant tumors account for nearly 20% of all claims, with thyroid cancer, breast cancer, acute myocardial infarction, liver cancer, and cerebral hemorrhage ranking as the top five critical diseases for fund applications.
Prolonged property viewing trips, outdoor work, and irregular schedules are common occupational realities for frontline housing service personnel. The "Health Home Care Guardian Fund" is entirely sourced from personal stock donations by co-founders Peng Yongdong and Shan Yigang, totaling 19 million shares valued at approximately 400 million yuan. It covers the full spectrum of industry roles, including agents, store owners, cleaners, painters, bricklayers, and repair technicians. Workers are not required to contribute; eligibility is automatically granted after six months of employment or platform registration.
The program features three distinct assistance categories, prioritizing "emergency relief" rather than the traditional post-expense reimbursement model. Once critical illness diagnosis documents are verified, the "Life Emergency Aid" can be disbursed within two business days. For workers who have completely lost labor capacity or passed away, a 100,000 yuan "Family Warmth Support" is provided. Additionally, families with school-age children can receive 20,000 to 100,000 yuan in "Child Education Funds" based on educational stage, addressing both medical and educational needs.
Wang Qiang, a real estate agent from Tianjin, exemplifies the program's impact. After more than two decades of constant on-the-go work, he rarely sought medical attention. In November 2025, he dismissed blood in his stool as a stomach issue, only to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer after symptoms worsened. Following surgery, the lengthy recovery period brought ongoing medical costs, compounded by the need to support his 10-year-old child. After discovering the internal application portal, Wang faced two application rejections due to documentation issues, but with detailed phone guidance from support staff to correct his materials, his third submission succeeded, and the 20,000 yuan emergency aid was promptly released.
"The amount isn't huge, but its psychological comfort is significant," Wang said. "It partially covered out-of-pocket surgical expenses and relieved the initial financial strain after diagnosis." He noted that he can still apply for additional assistance through the "Green Plan" in the future.
In recent years, China's new employment groups have expanded considerably, now reaching 84 million people, or 21% of the national workforce, making them essential to urban operations. However, under flexible employment models, many frontline workers face loose labor relations and weak resilience against major illness risks. While local governments continue to improve social protections for these groups, various platform companies are also moving beyond a pure focus on operational efficiency to explore public welfare safety nets as a supplement to the social security system.
KE Holdings has stated it will continue operating both the "Health Home Care Guardian Fund" and the "Green Plan" protection systems, maintaining focus on the physical and mental well-being of housing service professionals. Through data-driven insights, the company aims to encourage frontline workers to prioritize health checkups and early disease screening, leveraging social participation to strengthen the livelihood safety network for new employment groups.