It is a long-standing tradition that a special campaign starts in December.
The Ecumenical Relief Society called for a national gathering with Advent candle lighting on Sunday in Budafok, where Goodwill Ambassador Anikó Lévai and László Lehel, the organization's president and director, lit the first flame of the Advent wreath.
After the candle lighting, Goodwill Ambassador Anikó Lévai said: it is a long-standing tradition that the Ecumenical Relief Society launches a special campaign in December. The last few years have not been easy, neither because of the pandemic, nor the war that broke out next door, nor the threat of floods.
He indicated: the aid organization provides help to hundreds of families on weekdays, and their big Advent collection is also about them every year. Through food packages or gift packages for children, they are also gifted with something they need the most: compassion, care and love.
Anikó Lévai asked as many people as possible to join the growing community that brings a little warmth and light to the homes of the most needy in the last, cold, dark month of the year.
László Lehel, the president and director of the aid organization, emphasized that their goal is to give food, a home and a chance to those in need. Speaking about their year-round activities, he said: every year they distribute 300,000 meals, provide shelter to 300 families who have lost their homes in their institutions, and help 3,000 needy children catch up with development activities.
Managing director Kristóf Gáncs, speaking about the details of the Advent gathering until December 31, said:
Anyone can donate HUF 500 per call or SMS on the donation line 1353.
In addition, it is possible to donate online at segelyszervezt.hu, where you can also find out about their aid campaigns.
Donations can be made with HUF 250 donation coupons available at the cash registers of around 200 Tesco stores across the country, and thanks to the cooperation with MBH bank and Mastercard, the aid organization receives support after bank card purchases in December.
Thanks to a new collaboration, a donation option linked to book purchases has been created in the Bookline online store, and Magyar Posta, in addition to collecting donations in envelopes displayed at major post offices, also supports those in need from the price of items sent in MPL parcel machines.
According to the managing director, their corporate partners are also launching a number of charitable campaigns, and on December 21st they will host a fundraising program on the TV2 channel entitled Give Joy. He also touched on the fact that personal donations are also possible at the basilica in Budapest.
Cover photo: Anikó Lévai, goodwill ambassador of the Ecumenical Relief Organization, wife of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (k), László Lehel, president and director of the Ecumenical Relief Organization (b) and Kristóf Gáncs, managing director of the relief organization (j) at the national headquarters of the organization in Budapest, where Advent December 2024, the Ecumenical Aid Organization called for a national gathering by lighting a candle on the 1st. The first candle of the Advent wreath was lit by Anikó Lévai and László Lehel.
Source: MTI/Zoltán Kocsis
