Non-profit organisations

 Today the Possehl Foundation sponsors more than 300 registered non-profit organisations that enrich the life of the community in Lübeck. Many of these organisations are sports clubs, which do important work with youth groups and represent important social hubs in the city boroughs. The Foundation also provides financial assistance to charities and other initiatives organising social projects for people in all kinds of different areas. So we also enable immigrants in Lübeck to gain access to the whole range of local educational offers, for instance.

Krähenteich Lido

Since the beginning of the 20th century there has been a public beach or lido here to enable people to swim in the pond. In early 2000 there was a risk that the lido buildings could be pulled down and the land redeveloped for flats.

But local residents quickly organised to oppose the changes. “Keep the lido - No demolition!” was the motto chosen by keen users of the beach, who formed an association in summer 2001 to prevent the sale and destruction of these historical bathing facilities in the old town. The way in which the lido was saved and is now run is an excellent example of what is possible when citizens join forces in support of a good cause. It was only with the help of many members and additional financial support from private foundations in Lübeck – including the Possehl Foundation – that the association could carry out all the modernisation work required to turn the beach into a popular meeting place with regular opening times and fair entrance prices.

Solidarity Action Day Movement in Europe (SAME)

The European youth network SAME is spreading the idea of a Solidarity Action Day throughout Europe. School pupils volunteer to do a day’s paid work and then donate their wages to support social projects. They not only support projects for young people of their own age in other countries, but also learn about social activism at the same time and set an example for an open and tolerant society. Over 300,000 young people from all over Europe now take part in a Social Day. SAME is based in Lübeck and is expanding its activities for more interaction and solidarity in Europe. Last year was dominated by a feeling of deprivation and abnegation, but also by increasing digitisation.