We collected more than 600 bags of clothes and other necessities

The nationwide corporate collection of clothing and supplies for people in need was successful even in the middle of a pandemic. Hundreds of employees from 23 companies participated in the material collection under stricter conditions. They did not let the fact that they work from home discourage them.

The companies supported 23 organisations focused on helping people in need and reducing the negative impact of the clothing industry on the environment.

The collection of clothes and necessities, organised within the working group entitled Companies to the Community under the Pontis Foundation, is a well-established and popular activity.

“Like many other programmes, we had to adapt the collection and introduce new measures to maintain the safety of the employees of the companies involved, as well as the helping organisations and their clients. Therefore, a 48-hour quarantine of collected items was introduced on company premises. Besides, employees working from home were given the opportunity to bring things directly to the organisation,” Veronika Sedláčková, Programme Manager of the Pontis Foundation, explains.

“Given that most of the employees of the companies involved still work from home, we consider the collection a success,” she added.

Collection results

The autumn collection was held this year as part of the donation day known as #GivingTuesday, which involves millions of people around the world. During the collection, the generous people donated more than 600 bags of clothes and other necessities. Among the donated items were Christmas trees, prams, kitchen utensils and unused goods such as USB keys and speakers.

The recipients liked the results, too

“This collection was different from all the previous ones. We are glad that people, despite various limitations, keep in mind those who are much worse off. On behalf of all our clients, we would like to express our gratitude,” the team from Home for Everyone says (tr. OZ Domov pro každého).

“This year has been very difficult for me, especially financially. My husband works in the Czech Republic but was at home most of the time due to the coronavirus pandemic. We did not have the funds to get tested repeatedly. I am very happy that the community centre helped me through this collection thanks to the amazing people who had joined in. I was able to choose things for our two children, thus saving money for food. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the good people for everything,“ Terézia, who received help through the Hnúšťa Community Centre, says.

“I am very happy that there is such an event in our region of Orava. It’s not just about receiving things. Through this event, people come together, consider each other more and say: “I’ll let this family know about the opportunity, it may help them.” As volunteers, we help with the preparation and implementation of the collection. We become its promoters. In many ways, socially weaker families will get help. They will get clothes and other useful things,” Eva, the coordinator of the collection at the ŽIRAFA Community Centre cooperating with OZ Persona, says.

According to her, the preparation and implementation of the collection support cooperation between many actors in the region. She provides examples of interlinks between non-profit organisations, their clients and volunteers, and the Town of Tvrdošín, which assists in promoting the collection. Further, she points to schools and leisure centres which also help promote the collection and collected things for children.

“The preparation and implementation of the collection is also an opportunity to develop our ability to be flexible and strategically plan and resolve conflicts. We thank all the known and unknown people who created this event and made it last,” she concludes.

In the autumn collection, employees of companies which are part of the working group entitled Companies to the Community at the Business Leaders Forum helped us with our activities:

• Aapogee Business Services, Sarl
• Accace k.s., TULIP Solutions
• Accenture
• Adient
• Allen & Overy
• Dentons Europe CS LLP, organisational unit
• dm drogerie markt
• ESET
• Foxconn Slovakia
• HEINEKEN Slovakia
• Johnson Controls International
• KPMG Slovakia
• Metro Cash and Carry
• Microsoft
• NAY
• O2 Slovakia
• Pfizer
• Plzeňský Prazdroj Slovakia
• Philip Morris International
• PwC Slovakia
• Squire Patton Boggs
• Tatra banka
• Volkswagen Slovakia

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!