Community Impact: Centilians have been Santa Claus to kids who need it the most

Earlier last year, we have launched Centili Community Impact, a program that empowers us to dedicate 1% of our working time to volunteering. At the end of 2020, we have donated Christmas gifts to the children of Drop-in Shelter. The Shelter offers support to the most vulnerable children who live -- or spend most of their time in the streets.

We have donated a gift on behalf of every Centilian: a total of 67 wrapped gifts, plus a big package of essential care. We hope these kids will find their way out of the harsh living conditions they’ve been put into, and that our Christmas presents will cheer them up and show them we care.

Iva Bacanin (right) with shelter volunteer (left)

We chose Drop-in Shelter to donate to because it made a strong impression on us. It helps the most invisible group of children that no other organisation is looking after. The children are not formally recognised by the system, which means they cannot receive any kind of help from social services. Many of them live with their parents and siblings in the slums. Some of them are panhandling, and a number of them don’t attend school. The kids are as young as five, and the oldest children at the Shelter are 15. All of them are under health risks and suffer significant socio-economic struggles.

Drop-in Shelter has done wonderful work over the past years. They have developed programs to help these kids leave the poverty cycle by providing meals, tutoring, help with schoolwork, and fantastic art and music activities that promote the integration into the broad society.   

We are looking forward to the future Centili Community Impact activities and encourage everyone who has the means to participate in helping their local communities