De Lage Drempel

Following the “Warmste Week” (Warmest Week), VRT's solidarity initiative, Spar colleagues collected a nice sum of money, with several initiatives including a hot dog sale. The money went to De Lage Drempel, a nonprofit organisation based in Mechelen where people living in poverty and people not living in poverty meet.

“Everyone is welcome for a cup of coffee, a biscuit and a chat in our open meeting space”, coordinator Lore Moons explains. “Our clientele is very varied, sometimes we welcome 25 to 30 people a day. We try to involve these visitors in our operations as much as possible. They organise interesting activities together: cooking and computer classes, a choir, an excursion, etc. We also help people with limited means find affordable housing or leisure activities. Or we give advice on digital topics such as installing apps, online banking or using social media. We also regularly sit down with them to hear their views on certain topics. The digital divide, for example. Or the offer of dental care, a big problem in Mechelen.”

“Our non-profit organisation works with three paid staff and about 50 volunteers. We get support from the Flemish Government and the City of Mechelen, but obviously, all extras are welcome. With Spar's help, we're going to tackle our city garden: our gardening equipment and the plant boxes for growing vegetables need replacing. Perhaps we can work even more closely together in the longer term. For example, it would be nice if we could get Spar workers to volunteer for a day.”