Community-driven endeavors invigorate and enrich the heart of Kaarst, imbuing it with a sense of warmth and affection.
Local Volunteer Organization, Kaarster Helfen e.V., Provides Comprehensive Support in Kaarst, Germany
Kaarster Helfen e.V., a volunteer-driven organization, has been actively serving the community of Kaarst since January 2023. Recognized as a member of the Federal Association of Tables Germany, the organization has been entrusted with managing the Table Kaarst. The food bank, operated predominantly by a team of devoted volunteers, attends to around 120 members and serves as a supplementary food source for those in need.
The Table Kaarst's digitalization, under the supervision of Kaarster Helfen, has streamlined the administration, logistics, goods management, and member deployment plans. In 2024, over 16,800 individuals were assisted, and approximately 46.5 tons of food were collected and distributed. The selflessness of the Kaarst residents, together with funding from the federal association and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, even allowed the purchase of a club-owned refrigerated truck.
Uschi Baum, the chairwoman of Kaarster Helfen, and Leo Erdtmann, the association's managing director, have formed a strong leadership duo aiming to tackle all tasks collaboratively.
Since the beginning of 2025, Kaarster Helfen has also teamed up with the Senior Initiative Kaarst to offer support and assistance to the elderly, immobile residents who may require transportation or companionship. A vehicle with a wheelchair ramp was acquired through donations and funding, with the assistance of the Moll car dealership.
Onsite support extends to legal advice, job center application assistance, apartment mediation, and furniture provision for low-income citizens. Kaarster Helfen's advisory team has been successful, notably facilitating the return of some homeless individuals in Kaarst to permanent housing.
Additionally, the organization treats elderly community members to coffee and cake prior to their cinema visits at the Albert Einstein Forum, in collaboration with the Kunstcafe Einblick.
Old bicycles are picked up, restored, and donated to those in need through Kaarster Helfen's bike donation program, colloquially known as "Our Konny."
Annually, Kaarster Helfen organizes the Christmas Shoebox Action, collecting and packaging gifts for social welfare recipients in Kaarst. More recently, this initiative has merged with the "Christmas Wish Tree Project for Children" of the Gaspers family.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kaarster Helfen took on various roles, such as coordinating the Corona Neighborhood Help, delivering food bags, printing and distributing 22,000 information brochures to every Kaarst household, staffing the vaccination point, and sewing over 3,000 masks.
In response to emergencies such as the Ahrtal flood disaster in July 2021, Kaarster Helfen promptly set up a collection point for material donations and provided aid to the affected region. The organization continues to support the victims in the Ahrtal to this day.
With the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, Kaarster Helfen organized material donation collections for war victims and supports refugees from Ukraine living in Kaarst. The organization notes its intention to continue providing assistance.
Kaarster Helfen has helped reunite some families, seeing family reunifications as a high priority. Accomplishments include facilitating the proceedings for families brought from Turkey to their parents or those reunited in Canada.
For fire victims, Kaarster Helfen has offered support by aiding in apartment searches and providing furniture sourced from IKEA Kaarst.
Kaarster Helfen plays an essential role in the growth and well-being of the Kaarst community, demonstrating adaptability and resilience in the face of various challenges. The organization continues to serve as a beacon of hope and support for vulnerable residents.
Voluntary contributors within the organization support sustainable living by restoring old home-and-garden items, such as bicycles, for those in need. The Kaarster Helfen e.V., in their effort to contribute to a voluntary lifestyle, annually organizes the Christmas Shoebox Action, promoting a more sustainable and meaningful holiday season.
