Coexistence flourishes in Holzland: neighborhood help is an asset

Created: 01/10/2022, 09:00 AM

The Zwergerl- und Wichtelgarten is an important part of the offer of the Neighborhood Aid Holzland.

The demand for childcare places is so great that a third group could be opened.

© Fabian Holzner

Good things for children, senior citizens and many more: The readers' aid organization Licht in die Herzen supports the neighborhood aid Holzland in their work.

Holzland - Social togetherness is very important in Holzland.

The numerous associations are responsible for this, one of them, the neighborhood aid Holzland, has even made this a core task.

Coexistence begins with their activities even with the youngest and should not stop when they are old.

If contact restrictions or even lockdowns apply, this requires a double effort, which the team of chairmen successfully mastered over the past year and even created new offers.

Claudia Neumaier, who temporarily took over the chair after Stephanie Maier's step-by-step retirement, had the idea for the food delivery service "Fresh on the table" in mind for a long time.

Implementation at the beginning of the year was accelerated by the lockdown.

Neumaier received help from her two deputies Sabine Schweiger and Maria Tristl.

In February they started with two innkeepers and eight volunteers.

"Right from the start, it was accepted much better than we expected," reports Neumaier.

1840 Since then, meals have been cooked, delivered and enjoyed, an average of 21 per delivery day.

A practical solution for transport was needed quickly.

Thermal delivery boxes with a total value of 6600 euros could only be purchased through a high willingness to donate.

Private individuals, local councils and “Licht in die Herzen” joined forces to ensure that the food reaches its customers fresh and hot.

The offer of the non-profit association is mainly aimed at the needy, temporarily also many people affected by home office and homeschooling.

It is not always easy to decide who is in need, says Neumaier.

In the case of physical limitations, whether due to an accident or old age, this is still easy to grasp.

It becomes more difficult, for example, with strokes of fate that make those affected need help for a certain period of time.

In the other program that the NBH was able to carry out last year, only age plays a role.

The toddlers are two to four years old, and the Zwergerlgarten in Hohenpolding and the Wichtelgarten in Taufkirchen have the opportunity to cut their cords from their parents for the first time.

Playing, establishing social contacts, “getting clean” - all of this should be stimulated in the two small groups.

Two supervisors, one of whom is always an educational specialist, lead the handicrafts, painting and singing.

"The previous professional knowledge is not a requirement, but our own claim," explains Neumaier.

With the hygiene standards set for the past few months, the same as those for kindergartens and schools, the Zwergerlgarten and Wichtelgarten temporarily raised the costs for corona tests themselves. A total deficit of 1000 euros arose, which the association took over.

The NBH project, which is helpful for the parents and valuable for the development of the children and which goes back to the forerunner association, the Hohenpolding neighborhood aid, is in great demand. The waiting list in September was so long that a third group could have been opened. However, the search for available support staff failed. At the same time, new building areas are emerging in all municipalities, so the demand will not subside, so the search for educators or nannies is still topical.

Other activities of the NBH fell victim to the pandemic: The host meeting, otherwise the opportunity for retirees to chat over lunch, coffee and cake in the “Zur Linde” inn, had to be canceled again at short notice.

Here one hopes for 2022. The same applies to the senior citizens' excursion, which is to take place on April 29th.

The barrier-free bus is already reserved, the destination is still to be determined.

According to the statutes, each of the four municipalities is represented on the board.

Without funding through donations - for example through the readers' aid organization "Licht in die Herzen" - the association would not be able to support social life in the four congregations in such a way.

Donation account

The readers' aid organization of Erdinger / Dorfener Anzeiger supports citizens in the district who are in need through no fault of their own and institutions that help these people, for example the neighborhood aid Holzland. Donations can be made to the account (number 17 111) at Sparkasse Erding.

Account holder: Zeitungsverlag Oberbayern.

IBAN: DE54 7005 1995 0000 0171 11. Donation receipts can be issued on request.

Please note this with your address on the transfer slip.

The names of the donors will be published.

If you do not want this, please also note it on the transfer.

FABIAN HOLZNER