S IMMO extends Caritas collaboration

Since 2008, the listed company S IMMO AG has been supporting Caritas projects that provide assistance for disadvantaged children and youths in Romania and Hungary as well as for elderly people in Bulgaria. This collaboration will continue in 2014, as well. In addition, S IMMO supported the Caritas initiative “Schenken mit Sinn” (“Give with Sense”) as part of its 2013 Christmas campaign.

“In line with the theme of ‘providing shelter’, we support various social projects in the countries in which we operate. Our activities are focused on regions in which social standards are not nearly as high as in Austria. The only way to make a sustainable change for the better is to serve as a long-term, reliable partner. This is exactly why we are continuing our collaboration with Caritas in 2014,” said Friedrich Wachernig, Member of S IMMO’s Management Board.

Just like last year, S IMMO is also planning a corporate volunteering project for 2014 in which S IMMO employees will provide support to a Caritas organisation for a day.

The Caritas projects in detail:

Hope House in Romania
Caritas has been operating four Hope Houses for orphaned children and youths in the Romanian city of Alba Iulia since 2000. The goal of the project is to offer young people a safe home and positive prospects for the future as well as to support them in their integration into society. In addition, a counselling centre was founded in 2010 that accompanies young people along their path to independence. A professional team of psychologists and social workers helps them to find work and a permanent place to live, and also assists with official business as well as legal and psychological matters.

A future for children in Hungary
Another project supported by S IMMO AG is a community centre in the Hungarian city of Esztergom that has been operated by Caritas since 2002. The goal of the project is to improve the living conditions and future prospects of Romani children through education. In total, the centre serves around 90 children and youths along with their families. The centre concentrates on helping young people to successfully complete their schooling.

Ageing with dignity in Bulgaria
Roughly 90% of the inhabitants of the Bulgarian village of Pokrovan are over the age of 70. There is no city nearby, and the village is completely isolated in the winter. The majority of the residents live alone and have to get by on very small minimum pensions that are often not even enough to cover the barest necessities. For this reason, Caritas operates a day centre and a soup kitchen in this village and arranges medical care for the elderly population, all with the support of S IMMO AG. Mobile teams also provide assistance to ill or bedridden persons.