The main event during the jubilee was a mass conducted by Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki. Earlier, a meeting of Caritas directors was held as well as a discussion panel. The whole event was capped by an evening gala and a concert.
- Today, Caritas Polska is a contemporary organization, which responds quickly and effectively to the needs of thousands of people, also outside Poland, and builds on the pre-war traditions of the church’s charitable activity – said Father Marcin Iżycki, director of Caritas Polska. - We operate in all dioceses on many fields, from helping the poor, the ill and the disabled, to supporting the development of children and youth, to humanitarian interventions in countries affected by wars and natural disasters. We are celebrating celebrate our jubilee in these particularly difficult days of the pandemic. I would like to thank everyone involved in the mission of helping another human being.
The longest program of Caritas Polska operating since 1994 is the “Christmas Eve Aid to Children”. Proceeds from the sales of candles during Advent is used to help children in need. The organization’s most important programs also include, among others: “From a Family to a Family”, “For daily shopping” and “Schoolbag Full of Smiles”, in which children from families in need of support have received over 170 thousand school kits since 2009. The JSW Foundation has become involved in this special campaign locally, by providing the children with the necessary school supplies for everyday learning.
- We are proud to support those in need by cooperating with Caritas Polska. We would like to congratulate the largest charity organization in Poland on the thirty years of great, steady assistance. Thank you for your perseverance, big hearts and the joy and hope you bring into the lives of so many people – said Włodzimierz Hereźniak, President of the JSW Management Board and Chairman of the Board of the JSW Foundation.
Apart from projects in Poland, Caritas also carries out extensive campaigns abroad. The budget of the “From a Family to a Family” program exceeded PLN 57 million and provided humanitarian aid to 9 thousand families in Syria and Gaza Strip. Soon, the Iraqi Kurdistan and Beirut will be included in the program.
Caritas has also successfully joined in the aid for hospitals and medical staff in connection with the coronavirus epidemic in Poland. The organization launched a project “Grateful to the medical staff”, which Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa also joined. As part of this campaign, 11 hospitals received 30 ventilators, the purchase of which was financed with a donation of nearly PLN 1 million made by the JSW Foundation.The British ventilators, which were manufactured by a reputable vendor and enjoy an excellent opinion among Polish medics, have been delivered to hospitals in Jastrzębie-Zdrój, Racibórz, Knurów, Mikołów, Pszczyna, Żory, Wodzisław Śląski, Tychy, Orzesze, Cieszyn and Rybnik.
– The JSW Foundation has been cooperating with Caritas since the Foundation was established. We have joined the campaign supporting the fight against the pandemic. Deep in my heart, I believe that only when we show solidarity, we will be able to combat the pandemic effectively. The purchase of ventilators significantly increases the health safety of our countrymen – said Artur Dyczko, President of the JSW Foundation and the Vice-President of JSW. – On the day of this jubilee, I would like to express my heartfelt congratulations to the director of Caritas, Father Marcin Iżycki, and wish him many more years of successful growth of the organization, which brings help to our neighbors, in Poland and abroad.