The Mayor for Social Affairs and Social Integration, Dr. Alexandra Sußmann, and City Director Andrea Klett-Eininger handed over two urgently needed vehicles - a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and a Volkswagen T5 - as well as heat boxes for food transport to Łódź Vice President Joanna Skrzydlewska, who arrived with a delegation, on December 19.
In addition to the vehicles and the transport boxes, almost a hundred Christmas presents for the Ukrainian orphans will also go on the journey to Łódź. The wish lists of the Ukrainian children were sent in advance, translated from Ukrainian and fulfilled, so that the gifts reach the children in time for Christmas.
Mayor Dr. Sußmann said, “We are pleased that we can actively support the work of our twin city Łódź in refugee integration and inclusion.” Vice President Joanna Skrzydlewska from Łódź expressed her sincere thanks for the support and the professional exchange planned for the coming year. Another delegation visit from Łódź is planned for the spring of 2023, during which a professional exchange for Ukrainian orphanage professionals in the educational care of children with disabilities will take place.
Under the leadership of the department of integration policy and the representative for the interests of people with disabilities, Jennifer Langer, with the support of the department of external relations and the Eigenbetrieb Abfallwirtschaft (AWS), it was possible in a short time to put together an aid package for the orphanage in Łódź. With the vehicles and the relief supplies, hot food for about 100 children with and without disabilities can be brought to the facilities from the central kitchen in Łódź.
The delegation from the twin city of Łódź, led by Vice President Joanna Skrzydlewska, will be in Stuttgart from December 18 to 20. The city supports its twin city Łódź in solidarity in the context of the Ukraine war.
Support for Łódź orphanages
Łódź had taken in about 80 Ukrainian orphans by mid-May, who are cared for in two orphanages. One of the orphanages is also home to 20 children with disabilities and chronic illnesses. In May, a city delegation led by Mayor Sußmann had visited the twin city of Łódź orphanage with refugee Ukrainian children and returned to Stuttgart with a request for aid as well as professional exchange. Recently, the city of Stuttgart together with the Gustav-Adolf-Werk Baden-Württemberg sent about 40 tons of relief supplies there.
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