SCHIRMHERR
Member of Parliament Thorsten Frei
"The world thrives on people who do more than their duty." This statement by the German actor Ewald Balser powerfully and succinctly describes how the prosperity of our society and the well-being of its people cannot be planned or decreed by the state, but must be fully supported and achieved by the people of society as a whole.
It very accurately describes how our common good, which we can be very proud of and which many countries around the world envy, results primarily from the willingness of each individual not only to think of themselves, but also to help others and to make at least a small individual contribution to improving the local community.
However small the voluntary commitment of an individual may seem, with a vast number of more than 24 million volunteer citizens, it quickly becomes clear what socio-political significance voluntary work has in Germany outside of family, business and public administration.
Former Federal President Joachim Gauck rightly observed that "Our cities and towns would not be viable, and probably not as livable, without those who volunteer in the district council or city assembly, who found associations, and who debate in meetings." With this statement, he paid tribute from the highest level to civic engagement as a central cornerstone of a functioning society—our society.
A central role is played by the social and cooperative interaction of people in our world today, often described as a 'performance-driven society' and characterized by stress and hectic pace. Mutual care is a living expression of Christian charity, which has been firmly rooted in our society for centuries.
This spirit of charity is also the mission of the ProKids Foundation VS. Founded in 2008, its goal is to provide socially disadvantaged children in Villingen-Schwenningen with a proper meal at school. Since then, Joachim Spitz and his team have dedicated themselves to numerous projects, immense personal commitment, and countless hours of hard work, ensuring that underprivileged children in Villingen-Schwenningen don't have to be marginalized, but are instead in the public eye, given better opportunities in life, and thus a happier childhood.
When Joachim Spitz asked me if I would like to support the foundation's projects through my political work, it was immediately clear to me that I would be happy to get involved. Every personal commitment to ProKids can be measured in concrete terms. Every minute invested is worthwhile. Working for ProKids makes a difference. It improves the lives of many children. That's what matters to me. Even though not all children are the same and each has different talents, we, as a prosperous society, should be able to ensure that every child, regardless of their parents' financial situation, has a good start and good opportunities in life.
Everyone can contribute, even without a large financial or time commitment. Therefore, I would be very happy if you would support us in the future and become part of ProKids.
