Donations of over 18.17 million euros

awarded at the People for People Gala 2015

November 19, 2015, Bucharest – The Association for Community Relations, ARC, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Romania, AmCham Romania, awarded last night, at the People for People Gala, the most generous and impactful initiatives of the last year.

The nearly 170 philanthropic initiatives nominated – from people who voluntarily raised money for the causes that moved them to fundraising professionals, from leaders of non-governmental organizations to companies that helped solve system problems that no one could fund, from individual donors who donated in the long run to journalists who objectively told the most important stories in philanthropy – summed up donations and sponsorships of over EUR 18.17 million. A significant increase compared to the Gala in 2014, when the total amount was 14.8 million euros.

But beyond the sums, the purpose of the Gala was, every year, to contribute to the social solidarity that helps us to overcome difficult moments more easily. By awarding and speaking publicly about the selfless gestures of the Romanians, we create patterns of behavior and normalize a gesture so humane and necessary for the donation.

The winners and nominees of this year's Gala changed the lives of thousands of people: either they helped incurably ill people to have a dignified life, or they gave children from poor families the chance to go to high school and college, or they supported teachers from rural areas or science teachers to teach better, with the resources they needed, their generosity found fulfillment in well-done deeds that solve causes, not symptoms.

The gala has been organized since 2003 by ARC, a group of professionals who promote philanthropic culture through education and the development of fundraising tools, and AmCham. This year, the Gala was organized in partnership with Raiffeisen Bank, a company that promotes civism and corporate social responsibility, and supported by the NGO Fund in Romania.

The media partner was TVR, which will broadcast the Gala on December 1. Supporters were: Galantom, ȘtiriONG.ro. Sereniti and Erudio.  Media partners: Hotnews.ro, Paginademedia.ro, metropotam.ro.

For more information, please contact Georgiana Ilie, Arc Communication Director, 0726 177 116, georgiana@arcromania.ro.

The initiative is part of the project "Bridges for resources – resources for communities" funded through the EEA Grants 2009 – 2014, within the NGO Fund in Romania. For official information about the EEA and Norway Grants, please visit: www.eeagrants.org.

Winners of the People for People Gala 2015

1. Galantom Special Award: Daniel Mereuță. Runner, cyclist, triathlete, Daniel is part of a select group of athletes who constantly support the same cause at the sporting events in which he participates. She voluntarily organized a special sports event to support institutionalized children, a 100-kilometer race that raised 101 fundraisers, 1123 donations, 100,238 RON.

2. Professional fundraiser: Laszlo Bodor, Fundraising and Communication Director, HOSPICE Casa Speranţei, Brașov. The over 5 million lei it raised in 2014 and 2015 allowed the organization to provide free services to patients with incurable diseases.

3. Most involved employee: Anca Topor, Xerox, Iasi, who raised 24,015 lei that became scholarships, scientific educational programs and playgrounds for sick children in Iasi.

4. The leader who changes the world: Alin Uhlmann Ușeriu, President, Tășuleasa Social Association, who mobilized not only the amount of 4,000,000 lei for afforestation, but also a large community of volunteers in areas where there is a phenomenon of abusive deforestation.

5. The best CSR project (Internal) of a company: Vodafone Romania through the Vodafone Romania Foundation, for the project A Chance for Life, which invested 2.5 million lei in blood donation centers in the country and in campaigns that attracted over 10,000 donors.

6. Executive Director who supports fundraising: Ciprian Mihai Păiuș, Executive Director, Iasi Community Foundation, for the development, support and involvement in the foundation's fundraising campaigns through which the sum of 490,000 lei was mobilized.

7. The best fundraising campaign of a small organization: Vasiliada Association, Craiova, nominated for the campaign "Small gestures make people big", mobilized the sum of 23,200 to provide school scholarships for 258 young people from rural areas.

8. The best fundraising campaign of a large organization: HOSPICE Casa Speranţei, Brasov, for the Luna Florii de Colt campaign that raised 89,915 lei that turned into free services offered to patients with incurable diseases under the care of HOSPICE.

9. The best CSR program of a company: Microsoft Romania for the Opening Opportunities program, worth 469,623 lei, which aimed to increase the employability of young people in the small and medium urban areas.

10. The best project to sponsor a company:

Kaufland Romania for the project Helps a high school student of the Bacau Foundation for Community Support, which annually offers 50 scholarships to students from poor families who want to go to high school. Kaufland offered 640,500 lei.

Vodafone Romania for the project Leading Change, Contributing to Education of Teach for Romania, which runs every year a program for recruiting, preparing, integrating and supporting young people who want to become teachers. Vodafone offered 308,963 lei.

11. Best volunteer fundraiser: Cristina Foarfă, who raised 2,000 for CeRe: Resource Center for Public Participation organizing a team of swimmers at Swimathon Bucharest.

12. Best Press Material on Philanthropy

Dana Gonț from Digi24, Bonton show, for the reportage "The Romanian who set out to bring electric light to the most isolated areas of the country", about the Free Miorita project.

Diana Oncioiu from Dela0.ro for the reportage "Until the last moment of life", about the volunteer fundraisers of the Hospice Foundation Casa Speranţei.

13. Best company sponsorship project (SME): Transgor Logistik

for involvement in the project "Transgor Logistik Fund – for a life in motion" which financed 6 projects dedicated to active life with a contribution of 90,000 lei.

14. Jury Prize: Alexandru Horaicu, who raised 20,547 lei for the children's hospital project in Iasi.

15. The big prize of the People for People Gala: Cătălin Vischi – Emaramureș Media, for his involvement in the public campaign "In the name of Alexandru", through which he led to the transparency and efficiency of the activity of public institutions in the field of child protection.