Fiona Egli
July 27, 2021
Sustainability
As part of its social engagement, Baloise is making a donation of CHF 25,000 to support the charitable organisation Winterhilfe Schweiz. The amount will go to Winterhilfe's Empowerment programme, which allows children from families affected by poverty to enjoy leisure activities, promoting their social integration in the process.

Winterhilfe's commitment makes a sustainable contribution to our society by supporting people in need and promoting solidarity within society. 'As a member of this society and as a company whose business model rests on the concept of solidarity within a community, Baloise wants to use its donation to Winterhilfe to take responsibility for present and future generations. I am delighted that we can use our donation to Winterhilfe's Empowerment programme to support the organisation in its quest to provide financial and other support to children affected by poverty,' says Michael Müller, CEO of Baloise Switzerland.

Winterhilfe's Empowerment programme supports disadvantaged children

Poverty in Switzerland is often invisible and means that individuals are unable to enjoy the minimum standard of living in Switzerland through their own efforts. According to the Federal Statistical Office, 8.7% of permanent residents in private households, or around 735,000 people, were affected by income poverty in 2019. Single-parent households with children aged under 18 rank among the hardest hit groups. Poverty is often passed on from one generation to the next and can have very drastic consequences, especially for children. 'There are currently more than 100,000 children living in poverty in Switzerland. They have to do without a lot of the material, cultural and social things that their peers take for granted. The social exclusion that the children experience as a result can really leave its mark on them', explains Thierry Carrel, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Winterhilfe Schweiz. To promote the social integration of children living in poverty, Winterhilfe launched its Empowerment programme for children in 2012 in collaboration with the Roger Federer Foundation. 'Today, Winterhilfe's Empowerment programme allows 1,400 disadvantaged children to attend leisure courses that would otherwise be too big a stretch for the family budget. Participation in sporting and musical activities is designed to boost integration and build the child's confidence', says Thierry Carrel.

About Winterhilfe Schweiz

The Winterhilfe Schweiz association is a Zewo-certified Swiss domestic charity that has been supporting people in poverty since 1936, providing services designed to relieve them of stress and stop them from slipping into reliance on social welfare. Winterhilfe provides beds, clothing, shopping vouchers and school backpacks, and pays urgent bills. Winterhilfe is also committed to promoting participation in social life by enabling families to enjoy experiences together and by financing leisure activities for children. The umbrella organisation Winterhilfe Schweiz comprises 27 independent cantonal Winterhilfe agencies with a current total of 400 volunteers. The agencies' work is funded in full through donations. Winterhilfe's work allows it to make a significant contribution to social harmony in Switzerland.

Winterhilfe Schweiz

Alleviating the impact of poverty in Switzerland

Find out more (in German)
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Baloise Holding AG published this content on 27 July 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 27 July 2021 05:59:03 UTC.