Teaming up to help children

When Gabriele Tennagels from the Finance Department of RWE Power got in touch with representatives of the Duisburg-based Verein Immersatt – Kinder und Jugendtisch e. V., she soon realised that this was an organisation that deserved hands-on support. Together with her colleague Cornelia Lück, she decided to apply to RWE Companius for funding to help finance some urgently needed repairs and renovation work at the organisation’s new premises.

The Verein Immersatt supports needy children and young people in a variety of ways ranging from homework supervision and organised games and activities to counselling and the provision of a warm lunch costing no more than 50 cents. With the demand for its services rising all the time, the organisation realised than one of its two care facilities would have to move. The new premises, however, were in dire need of repairs which the Verein itself, which is funded exclusively by charitable donations, could not afford.

When Gabriele Tennagels and Cornelia Lück of RWE Power learned of this, they immediately turned to RWE Companius for help. “Since we only had two weeks in which to get organised, we were very pleased that RWE Companius responded so swiftly,” says Tennagels, adding that “we then used the RWE Companius Web to make contact with all those who had listed repairs and renovation work among their interests.” And so the two project leaders found three additional helpers. And even those who were not able to take part themselves were supportive. “Lots of people wished us luck and asked us to contact them again if ever we had something similar in the pipeline.”

One Saturday in early July, the helpers met to tear down the old wallpaper. That prepared the way for the painters and helped keep costs to the minimum. “It was a great day out and everything went like clockwork,” says Sabine Schmidt, the facility’s pedagogical director. After the work had been done, the helpers were invited to lunch on the organisation’s premises where Ralf Menrad explained to them in more detail what the Verein Immersatt actually does and took their questions. Even now, it is clear that the work of this organisation will receive further support from RWE Companius in future. Various projects involving people from the Accounting and Finance Departments at RWE Power are already being planned.