Social Participation in the Neighborhood

Social research never tires of emphasizing this: Older adults are significantly more likely to live in isolation from social contacts than the general population and often feel lonely. To counteract this, the Kassel-Süd parish established a regular lunch program in the Brückenhof residential neighborhood of Kassel more than 20 years ago. With a donation of 12,000 euros, GWH Wohnungsgesellschaft is once again supporting this important initiative for social participation at the Mittelpunkt neighborhood center this year.

Four times a week, from Tuesday through Friday, meals are served at the community center: A two-person kitchen team handles the monthly menu planning and prepares a fresh lunch every day. The menu features items such as meatballs with beets, herring salad, pea soup, or hunter’s schnitzel. “Our schnitzel days are the most popular,” says Rüdiger Metzger, who coordinates the work at Mittelpunkt. “On average, we welcome about 12 to 15 guests here every day; on schnitzel days, it’s usually 20.”

The full press release is attached for download as a PDF.