Mediaform donates to the “Förderverein Winternotprogramm für Obdachlose e.V.”

This year, Mediaform will again forego sending printed Christmas greetings, and will instead declare a message of solidarity: the Hamburg-based service provider is donating EUR 4,000 to the  “Förderverein Winternotprogramm für Obdachlose e.V.” (“Support Association for a Winter Emergency Program for the Homeless”). With this donation, the company supports the important work of the Association, which provides homeless people in Hamburg with hot meals and practical assistance during the cold winter months.

When the city reaches its limits

An estimated 3,900 people in Hamburg are homeless. During the winter months from November to March, the city’s Winter Emergency Programme provides around 700 of them with a place to sleep in emergency shelters. However, the city’s capacity is limited to providing only overnight accommodation – there are often insufficient funds for meals and further support. This gap is filled by the Support Association and its donors, which was set up by dedicated volunteers 18 years ago.

More than just a hot meal

Every evening, the Association’s volunteers prepare meals for up to 400 people – for many, this is their only meal of the day. To do this, the Association uses food donations from the Hamburg food bank, but regularly has to rely on additional donations of money and material when supplies are insufficient. In addition to supplying food, the Association also distributes clothing and provides support to its guests. The volunteers give their time to talk to people, and always offer them a sympathetic ear.

Don’t look the other way, take a closer look

For Jessica Jaugstetter, the Association’s chairwoman, it involves much more than just material aid: “What is important to all of us is that we see homeless people – this is very close to our hearts, because we feel that these people are ignored in everyday society.” In this respect, volunteers are at the heart of the charity’s work. As Jessica emphasises: “Without our volunteers, we cannot fulfil our Association’s purpose. We have around 90 permanent volunteers and a total of about 200 in reserve.” Against this backdrop, the chairwoman is looking for more people to help support the Association’s work. If you are interested, Ms Jaugstetter is available to make initial contact.

It was precisely this closeness to people that convinced Mediaform. Jörg Weber, Managing Director of the company, explains: “It is always important to us that we support organisations which are very close to those people who sometimes, for physical or mental reasons or because of homelessness, often through no fault of their own, have to a certain extent lost their footing in life.”

With this donation, Mediaform aims to contribute to ensuring that homeless people receive support, encouragement and care during the winter months. This initiative is an integral part of the company’s philosophy of supporting social institutions in meeting their challenges, after establishing personal contact and identifying funding opportunities.

Find out more: Förderverein Winternotprogramm für Obdachlose e.V..