Altstadt-Armenküche: "We want to be there for people"

"ergo: wir helfen e.V.", the non-profit organisation of the ERGO workforce, supports people in need, both in Germany and worldwide. In a small series, we would like to present various sponsored projects and take a look behind the scenes. The first project is the Altstadt-Armenküche e.V. soup kitchen in Düsseldorf. 

In the middle of Düsseldorf's old town, where the streets are full of bustling activity, there is a place that is often overlooked – the Altstadt-Armenküche e.V. soup kitchen. This is where people come every day looking for more than just a hot meal...

The air is filled with the aroma of freshly prepared food, while volunteers bustle around the kitchen. Guests from a wide range of backgrounds sit at the tables, united by their adversity, but also by their hope of finding a sympathetic ear and a little human warmth. The story of an association that has been building bridges to people in need for over 30 years and helping them to find their place in society again begins in this special atmosphere.

For around 13 years, the Altstadt-Armenküche has received donations from ergo:we help. The initiative to support this project came from a company employee who had been volunteering there for many years.

“We really appreciate the fact that ERGO has been supporting us regularly for so many years. It is only thanks to our donors that we can continue to work independently. Their willingness to help is fantastic. Incidentally, many private individuals use their celebrations or their participation in club life as an opportunity to solicit donations,” emphasises Father Wolfgang Sieffert, a Dominican friar, co-founder of the Altstadt-Küche association and one of two voluntary managing directors.

The coronavirus pandemic has unleashed creative potential

He is keen to point out that all the food that is processed is purchased in the normal way. It would be impossible to manage the daily task of cooking a tasty meal for the large number of diners without it: “We have to plan reliably so that we can offer a varied menu to around 200 people every day.” He is particularly pleased that the restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic have unleashed creative potential in his team. The team was spurred on by the challenge of not having to make any compromises despite the difficulties.

When asked how the association came to be founded, Wolfgang Sieffert has a clear answer: “At the beginning of the 1990s, I noticed that there were people who were hungry again.” The fact that the number of people whose lives revolve around the streets is continuing to rise makes it clear how important his work and that of the many volunteers is, especially today. The number of poor people is growing. And the effects of poverty in old age are clearly visible.

“Many can no longer make ends meet with their pensions in the face of rising financial burdens from rent, utilities and even food,” states Wolfgang Sieffert. He adds that there are many people in this group who are too ashamed to go to the authorities and ask for the support to which they are entitled. “We also help them. And as strange as it may sound, we are happy when we lose them as guests because it shows that they can live an autonomous life again.”

Hot meals build bridges to people in need

The volunteers come from a wide range of different backgrounds. But they all have one thing in common: they want to help. Wolfgang Sieffert: “On the one hand, there are those who have retired from professional life or people whose children no longer live at home and who do not work full-time. A large proportion of the helpers who have been working with us for many years come from this group. At the same time, we are also supported by people who are unemployed for a limited period of time or who are doing further training, or students who are happy to spend some of their free time with us and want to help.”

Wolfgang Sieffert describes the idea behind the Old Town soup kitchen as follows: “We want to be there for people. And food is a good way to start a conversation and find out more about their concerns and emergencies, their very personal stories. All of this should take place in a communicative atmosphere.’ This creates opportunities for social work. For example, a newly issued identity card is a great success, enabling those affected to take a step further towards an independent life. Even small steps can achieve a lot. “Giving them a specific point of contact can help them overcome their shyness when dealing with institutions they don't know or dare to approach.”

Contact with some guests has been maintained for years, with others only sporadically. Around a third of them are homeless, most of whom also spend the nights on the streets. Another third only come to the soup kitchen for an indefinite period of time. They have usually been thrown off track by personal events, but then get back on their feet. The last part is made up of poor, often older people, some of whom suffer from restrictions but live in their own apartment.

The emergencies are becoming more complex

“We can see that the emergencies of individuals have become more serious and more complex,” explains Wolfgang Sieffert. “It's not uncommon for us to accumulate two hours of on-site tasks that take us two days to complete. It's no longer just the small everyday problems that can be solved quickly, such as arranging a doctor's appointment, reissuing a lost ID card or a few euros for a passport photo.” He is increasingly confronted with cases in which he is dealing with chronic or addictive illnesses, for example, or guests who have not been in contact with the job centre for months or who no longer receive any support from state or municipal agencies. Wolfgang Sieffert: “The tasks have grown and the effort required of us has increased considerably.”

Over the years, however, contacts with important institutions have also become closer. However, the exchange with job centres, municipal offices, welfare organisations or other providers of assistance such as day centres, night shelters or shower facilities takes up a lot of time and energy. “We work in various committees and make suggestions for improving the situation. This is bearing fruit,” he says. “Looking back over the past few years, we can see that there is now a much better cooperative atmosphere when communicating with politicians, administrators and associations.”

On this basis, he and his team want to continue to alleviate the hardship of the people who come to the soup kitchen and give them a little more quality of life – something that would not be possible without the support and donations from civil society. As with the “ergo: wir helfen” initiative.

Text: Bärbel Naberbäumer/Martin Sulkowsky

Altstadt-Armenküche e.V.: Much more than just a hot meal

The Altstadt-Armenküche was founded in 1992 to help the increasing number of hungry people in Düsseldorf's Altstadt (Old Town). At first, only makeshift premises were available, where a few volunteers served tasty lunches six days a week. From 20 guests a day at the beginning, the number increased to 60 within a year. In addition to a nutritious meal, another premise has been in the foreground from the outset: a respectful encounter in a friendly atmosphere. In 1993, the organisation moved to another building.

Despite limited space, more than 100 meals are served on some days. The dining room seats 17 people, so meals are taken in shifts. Today, around 100 volunteers work for the Old Town soup kitchen, with five to eight working each day. In the last five years alone, the number of people coming to the soup kitchen has increased by a factor of 2.5. Before the coronavirus, around 90 people came every day, but now there are around 200. During the same period, food prices have risen by at least 30 per cent, which have to be financed by donations. While the financial commitment for this was still 47,000 euros in 2019, it had already reached almost 160,000 euros in 2023. Currently, four people work in the kitchen and three in social work. In 2023, the soup kitchen received more than 4,800 individual donations.

More information: www.armenkueche.de

Information about ergo: we help: https://www.ergo.com/en/sustainability/areas-of-activity/commitment