Starting signal for the Johanniter Christmas trucker and fundraising focus in Ukraine

2023-11-21 08:15:28

The Christmas Trucker Campaign 2023 begins on November 22nd. At the same time, the Johanniter focus on donations for refugees within Ukraine.

Vienna (OTS) – From November 22nd to December 20th, 2023, the Johanniter in Vienna and Innsbruck will again be collecting gift packages with food, hygiene products and small gifts for children in need in the poorest regions of Southeastern Europe. “This year the packages are going in the Johanniter trucks, our Christmas trucks, to Romania, where up to a third of all children are affected by poverty,” says Johannes Bucher, President of Johanniter in Austria.

The packages can be filled by private individuals and handed in to Johanniter. For larger collection campaigns by schools, kindergartens, companies or clubs, the packages are picked up by the Johanniter. “It is important that every package is of approximately the same value so that there are no problems at customs and there are no disappointments when opening it on site. That’s why we created a ‘packing list’ on our website with the products that should be included in the gift package,” explains Petra Grell-Kunzinger, Managing Director of Johanniter in Austria. The campaign can of course also be supported with a monetary donation. “We can use this to fill additional Christmas packages and pay the fuel costs for truck transport,” says Grell-Kunzinger. All information about the Christmas trucker can be found on the Johanniter website at www.johanniter.at/weihnachtstrucker

Christmas trucker packages can be dropped off here:

Johanniter-Center-Nord (JCN): 1210 Vienna, Ignaz-Köck-Straße 22, Mon-Fri (weekdays) from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Homeless aid house Leopoldstadt: 1020 Vienna, Schreygasse 3, daily from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Homeless aid house Hetzendorf: 1120 Vienna, Hetzendorfer Straße 55, daily from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Homeless aid house Heiligenstadt: 1190 Vienna, Gunoldstraße 16, daily from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Johanniter Tyrol: 6020 Innsbruck, Josef-Wilberger-Straße 48/1. Floor, Mon-Fri (weekdays) from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Christmas truck packing list: www.johanniter.at/weihnachtstrucker/packliste

Help for refugees in Ukraine

In addition to the Christmas trucker campaign, the Johanniter are focusing on supporting war refugees within the Ukraine during Advent this year. Since the beginning of the war, hundreds of thousands of internal Ukrainian refugees have been accommodated in the far west of Ukraine, the so-called Carpatho-Ukraine.

“The people there often lack the most necessary things. Together with our Ukrainian partners, we are trying to help the refugees – most of them minors – as best as possible,” emphasizes Johanniter President Bucher. Now it’s about individual support in the cold Ukrainian winter – sleeping bags, blankets, gas stoves, solar lamps and much more are needed. “Help us with your monetary donation and together we will give the refugees warmth in the cold season,” concluded Bucher and Grell-Kunzinger. All information about refugee aid in Ukraine can be found on the Johanniter website www.johanniter.at/spenden-helfen/fluechtlingshilfe