S IMMO AG continues support for Caritas in 2017

Guided by the principle of “giving shelter”, listed S IMMO AG has supported Caritas projects in Austria, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria since 2008. This cooperation will continue in 2017. In addition, the S IMMO team regularly works on corporate volunteering projects in Caritas organisations. In January 2017, for example, employees cooked in the day centre next to the central train station that offers a safe haven for homeless men and women. 

“Long-term cooperation is particularly important to us in our social work because it allows us to make lasting positive change. I am especially delighted that we were able to support Caritas’ ‘Schenken mit Sinn’ (‘Presents with Purpose’) project as part of our Christmas campaign in 2016,” says Friedrich Wachernig, member of S IMMO’s Management Board.

The Caritas projects in detail:

Hope House in Romania

Caritas has been operating four Hope Houses for orphaned children and young people 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 help them to find work and a permanent place to live, and also assist 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 70 children and young people along with their families. The centre concentrates on helping young people to 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. Most of the residents live alone and have to get by on very small minimum pensions that often do not even 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. Mobile teams also provide assistance to ill or bedridden persons. These visits are of inestimable value for those people who are not able to leave their homes.