Delhaize Group Fund supports 34 projects in Belgium and in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, to help residents work together to make their neighbourhood or village more liveable

Encouraged by the achievements that previous prize-winners made with the support* received from Delhaize Group Fund, managed by the King Baudouin Foundation, the Fund has launched its fourth call for projects. A total of 34 initiatives from Belgium and Luxembourg (14 in Flanders, 6 in Brussels, 11 in Wallonia and 3 in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg) have been awarded. These initiatives promote the idea of neighbours coming together and participating in the collective wellbeing of their area or village.

On 21 October Delhaize Group Fund announced the results of the 2011 call for projects. A total of 34 projects, spread throughout Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, received support worth EUR 150 000. The prize-winning initiatives unite residents from different social, cultural and economic backgrounds. They strive for one common goal: that of getting to know their neighbours better and feeling good in their community.
 
Delhaize employees (associates) were also involved in the selection of projects and it was the project ‘The school in the neighbourhood’of the V-Tex school in Kortrijk that was voted the winning project. This project was awarded the ‘Delhaize Associates’ Prize’, which doubles the amount of financial support provided.
 
The jury, for their part, gave particular attention to the innovative elements of another project, “Come Dine with Me”, led by SEFoP in Herbeumont (province of Luxemburg, Belgium). This project aims to fight prejudices against asylum seekers who are residing in a centre located in the commune . They commented: “the originality of the project lies in adapting a concept that is well-known to sections of the population that are socially and culturally distanced from each other. There is also the symbolism of welcoming strangers into your home with the trust and open mindedness that is involved. The initiative leads to warmth and friendliness in the short term i.e. during the meal but also in the long term by reducing prejudices about asylum seekers and their aims.”