10 years of the ProKids Foundation VS
The ProKids Foundation is celebrating its birthday: Exactly ten years ago, the Schwenningen-based entrepreneur Joachim Spitz transformed a successful initiative into a private foundation.

His initial goal: to finance hot school meals for children from poor families. Now the foundation is exceptionally well-established and active in many areas; you can find our newly revised promotional video at www.prokidsstiftung.

“Our name says it all,” says Joachim Spitz, founder and chairman of the foundation's board. “ProKids means that we stand up for children and young people who have problems or are disadvantaged in all areas where it is necessary.” The Schwenningen-based entrepreneur, owner of Spitzdruck GmbH, is committed to this cause with great personal dedication.
He is the face, the heart, and the driving force behind ProKids. And as such, a successful networker who managed to secure CDU Member of Parliament Thorsten Frei as patron.
At a symbolic launch event, Spitz cooked spaghetti for the children at the St. Elisabeth Kindergarten in Schwenningen and subsequently raised many thousands of euros for underprivileged children. The initiative was underway. From the beginning, people appreciated that their donations stayed in the city and supported ProKids. To make his social commitment more sustainable and efficient, Spitz decided to establish a foundation and made a grand gesture right from the start – the foundation charter was personally presented by the then Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Kristina Schröder.
A key component of the foundation's work today is the ProKids meeting place in the Schwenningen youth center "Spektrum," run by dedicated volunteers like the Lichte couple and Bea Baumgarthuber. Poverty and unemployment are on the rise, and at the same time, family networks are losing stability – this leads to parents and single parents readily utilizing the support services offered here, such as the provision of children's clothing and toys, low-threshold counseling, and assistance in emergencies.

The homework support program run by Erhard Bürks, sponsored by ProKids, also takes place at the youth center.

The importance of both projects is demonstrated by the fact that both Bürk and the Lichte couple were awarded the Paul Harris Prize for social commitment by the Rotary Club Villingen-Schwenningen.

Consequently, this award has also been given to Joachim Spitz and Oliver Vlcek. The former national boxing coach had launched the "Fight for your life" project, which was funded by sports associations and the district, but was in danger of failing due to a funding gap.

The ProKids Foundation stepped in and included this exemplary social project in its portfolio, which Joachim Spitz had expanded a few years earlier with a shared apartment for teenage mothers in the "Neckarfair" residential park. Since then, underage mothers and their children have found refuge here when they can no longer remain in a problematic home environment.
In the meantime, the foundation had launched a large mentoring project and, with the help of many dedicated volunteers, supported young people facing challenges on their path to professional life. The foundation's latest project is also proving attractive to young people: a street workout park at the Vorderer See lake in Schwenningen, which was realized with considerable effort and is proving popular. The city's street workout championship, held to mark the opening, was also planned.
The event was organized by none other than Mayor Jürgen Roth, and both city champions of 2019 come from VS.
The foundation also gained considerable respect for its baby hatch on Neckarstrasse. Joachim Spitz had successfully arranged for the hatch to be installed in the Franziskusheim retirement home, where it is constantly monitored. The businessman had read in the newspaper about a newborn in the region who had been abandoned and died. He was determined to prevent such an incident from ever happening again. Since then, unknown mothers have left four babies in the hatch – making Spitz a four-time lifesaver. "That makes me especially proud and happy," he admits.

Anyone who knows the foundation's director knows he wouldn't rest on his laurels for a single moment. He's already busy again with his foundation's big pre-Christmas project, the Christmas Wish Campaign. The gifts, financed by the proceeds of this project, went exclusively to children from
The initiative benefits families in need. Corporate partners and private individuals sponsor gifts. Sponsors find Christmas wish cards on wishing trees set up in local banks, purchase the gifts, and drop them off at the bank. ProKids then distributes the presents. For Joachim Spitz, this is one of the most beautiful moments of the year – the sight of children's shining eyes is his greatest reward.