November 19, 2020
brotZeit eV
by Marie Prötzsch
We support brotZeit eV with the VAT reduction
When I think back to my time at primary school, I remember my mother, who was awake long before my brother and I to prepare our breakfast and put the wholemeal cheese sandwich and the neatly sliced apple slices in our lunch box. What was completely normal for me and many of us is unfortunately not the reality for all students. More than 10,000 children come to school every morning without breakfast or a snack. According to the UN, that is one in four primary school students. Yet all children should experience a certain normality and routine in order to be able to follow lessons.
We probably don't need to explain what a rumbling stomach does to your ability to learn and concentrate. Learning on an empty stomach is simply not an option. Children find it difficult to follow lessons, have stomach aches and are tired. This was precisely what motivated Uschi Glas to set up the brotZeit eV association . In 2008, she started helping disadvantaged students: "We want to give these children what they are missing: bread and time in which people look after them."
Why do we want to support brotZeit eV?
To give you some background: VAT will be reduced from 19 to 16 percent from July 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020 in order to stimulate consumption during the Corona pandemic. You've probably noticed that our prices have remained the same. This is because we want to donate the difference to sustainable and social projects. When we first saw the association's image film, it quickly became clear to us that brotZeit eV would be one of the organizations we wanted to support with the VAT reduction.
Our team was simply touched by the warmth, cordiality, honesty and appreciation that emanates from this project. For us, the association stands for equal opportunities: every child should be able to concentrate on their lessons, regardless of their parental background. We have promised to fully cover an entire school by the end of the year.
How does brotZeit eV work?
brotZeit eV creates a morning routine for the children that they may not be familiar with at home. The association specifically supports schools in problem areas where disadvantaged children depend on breakfast because they are not provided with enough meals at home. They may also come from single-parent households where mothers and fathers do not have the time to look after their child in the morning. There is no selection based on need! Uschi Glas and her team have so far supported 229 schools in eleven support regions. A total of 9.3 million breakfasts had already been served by the end of 2019. That was 10,600 children every day in the 18/19 school year!
What we think is particularly great is the holistic, well-thought-out approach: at brotZeit eV, the circle of generations closes. The "brotZeit seniors" distribute breakfast to the children - but not just as food distributors à la large canteen. The seniors are more like substitute grandmas, substitute grandpas, presenters and educators. They want to pass on their life experience and knowledge to the children. There is probably no better appreciation than seeing happy children in return. They get the feeling of being needed and can give something back.
But there is so much more to breakfast than "just" having breakfast together: the association is also concerned with preventing obesity (hunger is not satisfied with fast food or chocolate bars in between meals, but rather a balanced basis for the day is created). It is about integration and equal opportunities: it is important to the seniors that the children speak German to one another during breakfast. Not to take away their diversity and individuality, but for the simple reason that integration can work better this way and the children have the same opportunities later on. There is simply someone there for the children!
Violence prevention is also an issue. By meeting with senior citizens, older generations learn to appreciate them. If we take the idea even further, it is also about combating the shortage of skilled workers in the broadest sense. The number of school dropouts is reduced by providing childcare from an early age. This in turn has a positive impact on social costs - less unemployment means less costs for Hartz IV.
[Mr]
We say THANK YOU on behalf of brotZeit e. V. and the children!
We would like to say a huge thank you to you at this point. By purchasing our products you are actively supporting brotZeit eV for children. You play a major role in our social responsibility!
Thanks!
Your Marie
[Mr]