Only a few more days until Christmas Eve. Since the first of December, a door in the Advent calendar has been opened every day to shorten the wait. The children's wish lists have long been sent to the Christ Child. In great expectation and with anticipation, the big day is longed for. That is the ideal version – but what if there is no money for presents?
We have seen enough in recent years how important it is to stand together and support people in need. Many live in poverty, war and injustice, without any perspective and protection. Very early also children are confronted with these issues and a difficult everyday life. Only rarely are they allowed to just be a child. For many years, the aid organization humedica e.V. has been supporting children whose families are in need with the "Gift with Heart" campaign to give them a little joy at Christmas. They are self-packed parcels filled with toys and school supplies, cuddly animals, warm children's clothing, hygiene articles and sweets - everything a child would be happy about. The "Gift with Heart" packages are sent to Moldova, Ukraine, Serbia, Albania, Kosovo and Romania. With the help of the food banks, the packages are also distributed to needy families in Bavaria.
ODU participated in the campaign for the first time this year and set up a collection point at the same time. "It is important to us to support where the need is greatest," said Dr. Leitner - ODU's managing director. "The campaign is a wonderful opportunity to give children a little joy at Christmas and possibly wrap their first gift." ODU itself supported the campaign with 75 packages worth 2,000 euros. Of course, the packages had to be lovingly packed. In two joint packing campaigns, many employees became true parcel heroes. "We want to set a good example and the joint action strengthens our cohesion and team spirit. It's a nice feeling to do something good," says Dr. Leitner.
But employees also brought many packages and dropped them off at the ODU collection point. Gifts wrapped in Christmas paper piled up on top of each other until the collection on Dec. 9, 2022, so that a total of 215 could be handed over to the drivers of humedica e.V.
"We are incredibly proud of our ODU family employees and the support and solidarity towards others. Not only do you achieve more together, it's also a lot more fun together," says Dr. Leitner.