As in previous years, the Pro Filii Foundation, which coordinates the charitable activities of the Mészáros Group, will donate ten thousand food packages to those in need during the Christmas period, said Krisztina Tóth, secretary general of the foundation, at a press conference.

During the end-of-the-year charity event, now in its fourth year, more than ever before,

a total donation of almost HUF 160 million will be distributed among the needy,

the packages were put together by volunteer workers from the products of the food industry companies belonging to the company group.

The donation is delivered by the Hungarian Red Cross to needy families and single elderly people.

Compared to previous years, the food packages are not only of greater value, but also contain more products.

According to the statement issued by the Butchers Group, the Christmas period and the following winter months pose serious challenges for needy families and single people.

Children are the focus of the Mészáros Group's charitable actions, which is why most of the Christmas donation packages go to families with several children, but in addition to them, about 1,000 single elderly people also benefit from the support.

Thanks to the large-scale, nationwide offering, festive food can be placed on the tables of tens of thousands of needy people.

As in previous years, the employees of the companies belonging to the Mészáros Group put together the food packages as part of voluntary work.

Almost 100 employees of the company group joined in the success of the promotion. The trucks of Gallicoop Zrt., which also belongs to the Mészáros Group, deliver the 70 tons of food to the nine regional centers of the charitable organization. From there, Hungarian Red Cross employees and volunteers take the donations to the needy before Christmas.

It was announced that the symbolic handover of the food packages took place at the Szárliget site of Vivienvíz Kft., a member of the Mészáros Group. Businessman Lőrinc Mészáros reminded in his message to the employees participating in the voluntary campaign and the participants of the event: "We were aware in 2020 that crises hit the needy the most. But we could not have known that the following years would present us all with more and more trials. Pandemic, inflation, energy crisis due to the war raging in our neighborhood. The Mészáros Group provided the initial amount of HUF 50 million in the following year as well, then when the need required, doubled it, and this year tripled the value of the food donation, which now exceeds HUF 160 million. However, I see the main value of our initiative in the fact that all members of our corporate group - from senior managers to office workers to manual laborers - actively feel our social responsibility is their own," said Lőrinc Mészáros.

Krisztina Tóth, secretary general of the Pro Filii Foundation, highlighted in connection with the charity event that three years ago, by donating Advent food packages, the Mészáros Group launched its largest private charity campaign after the regime change. The social responsibility director of the Mészáros Group explained: " The initiative of the Mészáros Group is unprecedented for several reasons. The HUF 400 million food donation provided to the socially needy over the past four years is the largest donation from the private sector to date. And all of this is made possible by a corporate background that is able to provide internal resources for the entire process of donation, including packaging and delivery, in addition to the provision of individual products. It's a good feeling to represent the company group with such a hinterland in strategic collaborations, such as the joint work with the Hungarian Red Cross," emphasized the CSR director.

István Kardos, the director general of the Hungarian Red Cross, said at the event: "This year we are also experiencing that as the holidays approach, more and more people turn to us for help so that they can enjoy something special and truly festive with their loved ones for Christmas. From the donations offered, we deliver 500 packages per county to our regional organizations, who will distribute them to those in need. We give these food packages specifically to individuals and families who would otherwise not have access to this kind of high-quality food," stressed István Kardos.

The Pro Filii Foundation was launched by the Mészáros Group in 2021 with the intention of making its social responsibility demonstrated in recent years more planable for those requesting support, and making assistance more efficient. As a key player in the Hungarian economy, the company group feels responsible for the vulnerable sections of society, especially children and their families. This year alone, the foundation has already supported the needy and civil organizations that help vulnerable social strata with 2 billion forints through tenders. In addition, it has spent an additional 1 billion forints on self-initiated charity programs. Among these, one of their most successful events is the free vacation for single parents and large families, as well as the year-end food donation.

Additional aid campaigns of the Hungarian Red Cross can be supported on the www.voroskereszt.hu and on the donation line 1359.

MTI

Cover photo: Workers wrap gifts at Vivien Víz Kft.'s premises in Bicske on December 11, 2023.
Thanks to the Pro Filii Foundation, which coordinates the charitable activities of the Mészáros Group, the needy will receive a larger holiday food donation than ever before. MTI/Zsolt Szigetváry