Photo f.l.t.r: Jaqueline Schiele, Veronika Daue, Fabienne Dobler and Katharina Landolt (WAGNER) and Norbert Büchelmaier, Kirsten Bauermeister, Mona Hummel und Ulla Guderian (Kinderschutzbund Ortsverband Friedrichshafen e.V.)
Great joy at the Friedrichshafen branch of the Kinderschutzbund (Child Protection Organization): Employees of WAGNER and the company together raised a total of 64,000 euros during their annual fundraising campaign for children and young people! This substantial amount will enable the child protection organization in Friedrichshafen to continue its important projects. "We absolutely did not expect this. We are overjoyed!" said Norbert Büchelmaier, Chairman of the Board of the Friedrichshafen Child Protection Association, during the cheque handover.
For the fifth time, the Markdorf-based company J. Wagner GmbH organized its Christmas fundraising campaign. What makes it special: employees and the company contribute together to benefit the region. And the WAGNER concept works - employees can easily donate the value of flex-time hours, unused vacation days, ors monetary amounts, and the company management doubles the total donations collected.
Jaqueline Schiele, one of the two People&Culture managers at WAGNER, explained at the donation handover: "At WAGNER, taking social responsibility is important to us, and we want our commitment to have a direct impact. The strong support and solidarity of our employees make initiatives like this possible in the first place. With our Christmas donation, we want to support the dedicated work of the Kinderschutzbund in Friedrichshafen, which provides heartfelt and highly skilled support for children and families in our region."
Flagship projects of the child protection organization in Friedrichshafen
Two flagship projects benefit in particular from the donation:
The “Kindernest” (children's nest) in Friedrichshafen, which is unique in the region and has beenoperating for more than 30 years. It offers hourly qualified childcare for children aged one year to school entry on an hourly basis - without proof of eligibility or reservation - and at low cost.
The second project is the nationwide child and youth hotline. Children and young people can call the "Nummer gegen Kummer" (Call for Comfort) anonymously to talk about their problems. In Friedrichshafen, 20 volunteers are currently available to provide help over the phone. The psychological training for these and 11 new volunteers, which lasts several months, is financed by the local branch of the Kinderschutzbund.
Additional areas of work — such as professional psychological counseling — also rely on funding. “Our organization provides low-threshold assistance and addresses issues early on, before they end up with the youth welfare office,” explained Norbert Büchelmaier, describing the association’s preventive approach. “We depend on grants and donations to make this possible. I can hardly believe it. We never expected support of this magnitude, and we are overwhelmed with joy.” With WAGNER´s generous donation, the funding of ongoing projects is secured for now, which means that new projects can also be considered.
About the Kinderschutzbund Ortsverband Friedrichhafen e.V.
The local branch of the Kinderschutzbund in Friedrichshafen currently has arund 200 members and is committed to children's rights, a child-friendly society, and an environment tjat supports children´s well-being. This includes non-violent upbringing, protection from discrimination and exclusion, and equal opportunities for all children. Key areas of their work indlude the “Kindernest, where children aged 1 to 7 are cared for on an hourly basis without prior registration or proof of eligibility; the ”Kinderschutzschirm" (child protection umbrella), a protection symbol on stores and public facilities that signals to children where they can find help if they feel threatened; and services such as the children's closet, visits to families with newborns and an open access to psychological counseling for children, adolescents, parents, or families. The local association is also involved in the nationwide children´s and youth helpline, which offers anonymous and confidential counseling.
