Zoom imageInes Schäferjohann from the “Trauerland” initiative with brothers Robin (left) and Jannik.
The Bayer Cares Foundation has conferred the Aspirin Social Award 2010 on “Trauerland,” a center providing grief counseling for children and young people. The Bremen-based organization received the €15,000 award for its support and counseling services aimed at young people who have to deal with the death of a family member.
The second prize, worth €10,000, has been awarded to the Berlin-based organization AMSOC, an initiative unique in Germany that provides volunteers to care for children whose parents suffer from mental health problems. Third prize, with winnings of €5,000, went to a Berlin-based organ donation information project that motivates young people to document in an organ donor card their choice of whether or not their organs can be donated. An independent panel of judges selected the three winners from 10 nominated projects. A total of 146 initiatives had applied for the award. The additional public choice award – also worth €5,000 – was presented to a German children’s hospice association that tallied the most votes in the online voting procedure in which more than 20,000 people participated.
“With their specific offers of help, the projects honored by the Aspirin Social Award act as a model for others and make important contributions to the German health care system,” explained Bayer Management Board member Dr. Richard Pott at the award ceremony in Berlin.