This winter has become a bit brighter for many in the region. Through the ‘Warm a Heart & Give a Coat’ initiative, Samen voor Eindhoven gathered 2,700 winter coats and sleeping bags for families in need, newcomers, and the homeless. Local companies like Philips and ASML contributed generously to the cause.
According to the Poverty Fund, about one million people in the Netherlands live in poverty. For them, a warm winter coat is often not a given. “All those companies in the Brainport region that are becoming more and more successful, but still more and more people who don’t even have a winter coat. That is of course a big difference and that is precisely why it is so important that those companies help,” says Charlotte Raap of Samen voor Eindhoven.
The collected coats are distributed to various local foundations such as the Clothing Bank Eindhoven, the Salvation Army, and the Living Room for Refugees. These organizations ensure that the coats end up with people who need them, including families with financial worries, young newcomers, and homeless people.
Support
ASML, for example, arrived early on collection day with a bus full, of as many as 300 coats. “Yes, that’s great,” says Julia Geerts of Samen voor Eindhoven. “It shows that together we can make a difference.” The efforts of volunteers are crucial in this campaign. “I’m so proud of what we put up here with only volunteers,” adds Raap. “That shows the heart of the city and its residents. The support from local businesses has been overwhelming.”
Arianna Swinkels of the Clothing Bank Eindhoven emphasizes the importance of these initiatives, “I think it’s so nice that we can come here to get something our people desperately need. Coats, and especially winter coats for men, we are just really short at the clothing bank.”
Source: Studio040
For Eindhoven News: Chaitali Sengupta.
