Support for voluntary work in Coburg too

Volunteering is an important pillar of our society. Committed citizens spend their free time on projects, whether in the sporting, cultural, social or church sector, which serve to help the socially disadvantaged. This often incurs material costs, such as for travel, materials, books, workshops or interpreters. The Adalbert-Raps-Stiftung has been providing so-called micro-funds since 2020 so that volunteers do not have to bear such costs. Volunteers in Coburg can also take advantage of this financial injection.

"We are grateful for the fund because we can provide volunteers with up to 200 euros without any red tape," says Antje Hennig, team leader of the Social Counselling Center at the city of Coburg. She manages the microfund for the city and district of Coburg and can confirm: "A lot can be done this way, and people appreciate it." Numerous projects have already benefited from the microfund, such as the congregation of St. John's Church in the Wüstenahorn district. "We had a hotspot here, and the mayor at the time wanted us to offer events to break down barriers," explains Antje Hennig.

Together in the district

Together with Pastor Veit Röger from St. John's Church, the working group "Gemeinsam im Stadtteil" (Together in the district) was set up, which is as low-threshold as possible. "Our aim is to bring people together across cultural boundaries," says Pastor Röger. For example, the working group takes up festivals from different cultures and invites the entire district to attend. In February, for example, "Maslenitsa", a traditional East Slavic festival, was celebrated for the first time on the playground in Wüstenahorn. Mountains of blinis were served as well as hot tea and a straw doll that was burned to announce the end of winter and herald the approach of Lent. People could also write personal wishes on small pieces of paper and reveal them to the bonfire. Thanks to the micro-fund, such material and catering costs can be well covered.

"We also break the fast together, celebrate an annual festival of cultures and hold events during Advent." The initiative has been active in the district, which has more than 2,000 households, for five years and also runs a language café. "Wüstenahorn is now a well-established district," says Antje Hennig happily.

"Die Kiste" can continue thanks to microfund

The funds from the micro-fund are used quite differently by the Coburg Child Protection Association. "We run the popular second-hand store 'Die Kiste' with many volunteers," explains Bettina Dörfling, 1st Chairwoman of the association. Children's clothing and toys are mainly available in the "Kiste", while women's fashion is also offered twice a year. The volunteers who ensure that the store can offer attractive opening hours five days a week come from all over the district of Coburg. "Of course, this incurs a lot of travel costs, which we are happy to reimburse the volunteers for." And this is precisely where the Adalbert-Raps-Stiftung 's micro-fund comes in. "We are touched that something like this exists, it helps us a lot, because otherwise we would have to acquire funds differently and much more expensively," says Bettina Dörfling.

Microfund for gymnastics equipment

In Cortendorf, on the other hand, it is the children who benefit directly from the micro-fund. Myriam Gick is head of the children's sports department at TSV Cortendorf and remembers: "When I started as an exercise instructor at the club, we only had a few large and small pieces of equipment." However, since she was able to apply for funding from the Adalbert-Raps-Stiftung , the department has improved year on year, at least in terms of small equipment. "The funds are used exclusively to purchase suitable small gymnastics equipment for children of walking age and older," explains Myriam Gick. This could be foam cubes, physio stones, rolling boards or balloons. Such equipment is intended to help increase children's athleticism and improve their motor skills - while having fun at the same time.

An average of 15 pairs take part in parent-child gymnastics, while around 8 - 10 children regularly attend the children's sports sessions. "As an exercise instructor, I hope to have a positive effect on the children's development so that they don't perceive exercise as something alien later on and find a healthy lifestyle." Myriam Gick is grateful for the support in the form of the microfund, because: "Your foundation is the only institution that provides us with funding. I don't know of any others and therefore can't compare them."

Who can apply for support from the microfund?

Eligible to apply are individuals who are voluntarily and unpaid involved in civic engagement in the public, non-profit sector, which is aimed at socially disadvantaged people in the interests of the common good or prevent social disadvantage. This can also include involvement in neighborhood assistance. The support also benefits social initiatives that operate in the background. Funding is only provided for projects for which no funding has been applied for from other funding programs.

Interested volunteers should contact the fund administrator for Coburg, Antje Hennig, directly to apply.

Contact details:

City and district of Coburg

City of Coburg

Antje Hennig

Office Seniors & Volunteering

Oberer Bürglaß 1

96450Coburg

09561892575

senioren-ehrenamt@coburg.de