DTHE BEGINNING

In 2008, Schwenningen businessman Joachim Spitz took the initiative: With ProKids-VS, he began funding school meals for children in need. This initiative now has a new structure: Spitz has founded the ProKids Foundation.

Child poverty is not a new issue. Spitz, however, recognized the problem by chance. During a visit to the Deutenberg secondary school, he noticed that there are a number of children who come from socially disadvantaged families and are unable to afford the school meals offered – for whatever reason. "That can't be true," the entrepreneur told himself, driven by the desire to change something.

Joachim Spitz, Managing Director of Schwenninger Spitzdruck GmbH, took action: After many discussions and thorough preparation, the ProKids-VS initiative was launched in February 2008. At a symbolic launch event, together with Mayor Dr. Rupert Kubon, whom he had secured as patron, he cooked spaghetti for the children at Schwenningen's St. Elisabeth Kindergarten. The initiative was underway.

From then on, the Schwenningen native never let up. Supported by unexpectedly large support from the public, Joachim Spitz raised many thousands of euros for poor children.

The founder quickly realized, however, that helping isn't so easy in this country. After some bureaucratic wrangling, a pragmatic solution was finally found: The donations collected by the ProKids-VS initiative were disbursed through the community foundation. This gave teachers the opportunity to quietly claim a meal subsidy for poor children in their classes.

The activities were well received not only by private individuals but also by the regional business community. People appreciated that their donations weren't going elsewhere, but rather staying in the city. Moreover, Spitz and his colleague Nándor Forgács made their own efforts to raise money for the good cause. Forgács took the photographs, Spitz printed them: the result was a magnificent annual calendar that sold well. They also produced a calendar for the State Garden Show, which raises money for ProKids. The baby hatch project also received a great response. Shocked by a dead baby found near Singen, Spitz threw himself into it and, with the help of sponsors, ensured that a baby hatch was installed at the Franziskusheim at the beginning of the year. Desperate young mothers can place their newborns inside in case of an emergency, instead of abandoning them and thus leaving them to certain death. "If we can save just one life with this hatch, it will have been worth it," says Spitz.

In order to pursue this social commitment more sustainably and efficiently, the Schweninger native has been searching for new organizational structures for some time. Initially, he wanted to establish an association, but ultimately decided on a foundation that would finance and implement various aid projects for children in the future. "My goal," says Joachim Spitz, "is to help as many children as possible with this new organizational structure. In this region, and if necessary, beyond." He believes the need in this segment is enormous.

In addition to Joachim Spitz, the Schwenningen entrepreneurs Bernd Schaible and Jürgen Müller sit on the foundation's board of directors, while Gerhard Waldmann, Guido Neuberger and the brothers Frank and Wolfgang Leuthe form the foundation's board of directors.

The launch of ProKids couldn't be better: During her visit today in Schwenningen at the business forum of the Oberzentrum trade association, none other than Federal Minister for Family Affairs Kristina Schröder Spitz will present the foundation deed.



"That's absolutely fantastic, of course," says the Schwenningen resident, who will briefly introduce the new foundation on this occasion. It will oversee the local initiatives ProKids-VS and ProKids-RW (Rottweil), supporting and coordinating their work. The founders can now envision launching further local initiatives, provided that local volunteers are found willing to get involved.