Kindness Takes Over the City: Start of the “Kaunas Full of Kindness” Campaign

The coming Christmas season and the special “Cake Day” in Lithuania celebrated on November 6 are inspiring for generous actions. Business representatives in Kaunas unite for a new initiative, inviting people to show kindness by donating. In the coming month, efforts will be made to raise funds for a special van with access for the disabled, which is badly needed by volunteers of the Order of Malta who are taking care of the elderly in Kaunas.

Seeks to bring together businesses

Several companies of foreign investors operating in Kaunas have joined together for a common purpose: to show their social responsibility through real actions.

Starting on “Cake Day”, company employees have a very clear goal: to help the Order of Malta in Kaunas purchase a new van accessible for the disabled using funds from the campaign. It would replace an old and worn-out vehicle, which often becomes the only means of transport for the elderly with reduced mobility or disabled people.

At the moment, volunteers of the Order of Malta are transporting the elderly and people with disabilities in a car that is almost 20 years old. Sometimes they are forced to rent vehicles. It is expected that the campaign “Kaunas full of kindness” will be able to raise the necessary 15 thousand for a new vehicle which will help the volunteers in Kaunas transport the elderly and the disabled daily and encourage them to slightly change their daily routine by visiting the places of their desire.

All Kaunas companies are invited to participate in the campaign. To the registered companies, volunteers will deliver special “Kaunas Full Kindness” donation boxes so that employees can contribute even a small amount of money to the generous goal.

For the lonely and the needy

“Most of the people we care for have mobility issues, so volunteers often help them to get around. While being around them and knowing these people, we realize that without the necessary help, it is equally important to give hope and the strength to live in solitude and deprivation. As a result, volunteers’ routes include frequent visits not only to medical institutions, but also churches for prayer, museums, and beautiful areas of nature. This summer we fulfilled their dream to see the sea: it is hard to believe, but some of the elders saw the sea for the first time in their lives!” says Gražina Senvaitienė, the leader of Malteser group in Kaunas.

A daily and continuous activity of Kaunas volunteers includes helping children from problematic families in the day-care center and all kinds of help for the elderly with mobility issues in Kaunas: about 40 volunteers take care of nearly a hundred lonely and needy seniors, not only bringing hot soup but also helping with household chores and oftentimes giving the refreshment for the soul.

“I have no doubt that business people are very busy with their lives, so they usually have fewer opportunities to stop for a minute and think about the poor who seems somewhere far from them. Still, those, who take a broader look, see them and want to help. We are glad to see that there are more and more such generous people,” says the leader of the Maltesers group in Kaunas and wishes everyone who can to contribute and spread kindness.

Start of the platform for benefactors

One of the curators of the campaign – representatives of “Kaunas IN”, who most likely feel the pulse of Kaunas business the best – notices that business in Kaunas is indeed socially responsible and generous, but as experience and feedback from companies show, there is a need of more capacity as well as unifying and coordinating initiatives.

It is hoped that in the future “Kaunas Full of Kindness” will be able to become a unifying and continuously operating platform for social change and good deeds.

“Kaunas Full of Kindness” initiatives are inspired by the desire to connect those who do good deeds with those who can contribute with donations and support. Interestingly, the idea was suggested by Kaunas entrepreneurs themselves: we noticed that most businesses want to contribute to social initiatives, but they do not always know who needs help at that moment,” said Tadas Stankevičius, Acting Director of “Kaunas IN”.

The first stage of the campaign “Kaunas Full Kindness” coordinated by the “Kaunas IN” will take place from November 6^th until December 1^st. All funds raised will go directly to the Kaunas Order of Malta.

Business organizations wishing to join the campaign are invited to register here: http://bit.ly/KaunasPilnasGerumo2019

All Kaunas residents can also contribute directly by donation:

Maltos Ordino Pagalbos Tarnyba (MOPT)

Company code: 190740859

Bank account: LT65 4010 0424 0300 8051

Purpose: Donation to Kaunas group for the purchase of a van

Information by “Kaunas IN” Business Division”