The 200 million HUF cost of the holiday is covered by the Pro Filii Foundation.
At the press conference held on Friday in Zalakaros, Lőrinc Mészáros, the owner of the Mészáros Group, recalled that when he was approached with the idea of the holiday program, he immediately supported it, as he himself has a large family.
"I know exactly what the situation of a large family is like, I experienced it several times when I was young, and I'm not only thinking about finances, but also about traveling the family, which often imposes a difficult task on the head of the family"
- he said, adding: he thinks it is important that the affected families can spend quality time together.
The businessman said that in five years, more than ten thousand people have participated in the program, and this year they will be able to provide vacations for more than 500 families, so about 3,000 adults and children can participate in the program. He indicated that more than one billion forints have been spent on the holiday program so far, and that they will continue to support it.
Krisztina Kelemen, Secretary General of the Pro Filii Foundation, Communications Director of the Mészáros Group, emphasized that the goals of the foundation remain the same: they want to provide help to families who are in trouble through no fault of their own and are in a cumulatively disadvantaged situation, people with serious health problems, and civil and non-profit organizations that they work for equal opportunities. He added: the free vacation system fits into this category, since the affected families find it difficult to finance the vacation in addition to everyday challenges.
Anna Nagy, the founder and head of the Single Parent Center, said that
there are almost half a million children in Hungary who live without a mother or father, which means 340,000 single-parent families.
He mentioned that the financial situation of 40 percent of them does not allow, for example, sports, extra lessons outside of school and they do not go on vacation. To realize these, we need partners such as the Pro Filii Foundation and the Mészáros Group, since the number of families that have been helped in the past period can be measured in thousands, he added.
Katalin Kardosné Gyurkó, president of the National Association of Large Families, says that the program, which is now in its fifth year, is a huge help to families and helps them to strengthen themselves through recreation. He indicated that the number of large families who had the opportunity to take a vacation in recent years reached five thousand, and since they have 16 thousand member families, there is a large over-subscription, they try to choose those who have not taken advantage of the opportunity so far, or who have health problems in the family.
According to the press release, thanks to the Mészáros Group, families can rest this summer at the Hunguest Hotel Freya in Zalakaros and at the Balatontourist campsite in Füred. In the period from the beginning of July to September, families can vacation in five-day shifts with half-board.
MTI
Featured image: Lőrinc Mészáros, the owner of the Mészáros Group, speaks at the press opening of the holiday for single parents and large families organized by the Pro Filii Foundation at the Hunguest Hotel Freya in Zalakaros on June 28, 2024 / Photo: MTI/István Filep
