Help instead of throwing away

Sometimes aid operations begin with an urgent phone call. This happened to Erich Hofmarcher of Kiwanis Upper Austria, who recently received an urgent request from the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry: Incubators for premature and newborn babies were damaged in attacks on the children's hospital in Odessa. Devices on which the lives of the smallest and most vulnerable patients depend. Erich Hofmarcher is no stranger to aid work in Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war, he has been bringing semi-trailer trucks with aid supplies, ambulances and fire trucks directly to the war zone every month. What many would consider too dangerous or too complicated has become routine for him – a routine that saves lives. The request for incubators was particularly urgent. Premature and sick newborns need the controlled environment of these medical devices to survive. Every day without functioning incubators means an increased risk for the youngest patients in the children's hospital. Tyrolean solidarity. Two incubators from Tyrolean hospitals have already been promised today. What would be a bureaucratic process taking weeks in peacetime was made possible in hours – because people like Erich Hofmarcher understood the urgency and because Tyrolean hospitals reacted immediately. These incubators will soon find their way to Odessa, transported by someone who knows the way and is not afraid of the risks. Silent heroes of everyday life: Erich Hofmarcher's commitment is extraordinary, but he doesn't talk about it much. While others talk about getting help, he drives. month after month. Semi-truck for semi-truck. Aid supplies, medical equipment, vehicles – everything that is urgently needed in Ukraine. Kiwanis Upper Austria and Erich Hofmarcher demonstrate what is possible when commitment meets determination. They show that help does not end at borders and that some people are willing to go where it is dangerous – because there are people there who need help. Every contribution counts. Such operations are only possible through a network of supporters: hospitals that provide equipment. Logistics companies that facilitate transportation. Donors who finance fuel and relief supplies. And people like Erich Hofmarcher, who dedicate their time, their energy, and sometimes even their safety. The two incubators from Tyrol will arrive in Odessa. They will give premature babies a chance to survive. And while somewhere in a destroyed children's hospital a small life fights for survival in one of these devices, Erich Hofmarcher will already be planning the next transport. Thank you, Erich Hofmarcher. Thanks to Kiwanis Upper Austria. Thank you to the Tyrolean hospitals that provided immediate assistance. Would you like to support the Ukraine relief efforts or do you have medical equipment that can be donated? Contact us – we will gladly put you in touch with the right organizations. AT09 1200 0515 1669 9817, Kiwanis Charity Fund, Aid Project Ukraine KC Leonding. Please include your date of birth so that the donation can be automatically reported to the tax office. Companies will receive a donation receipt upon request. About Kiwanis Upper Austria – Kiwanis is a worldwide organization that is particularly committed to the well-being of children.    

Today we were able to pick up more equipment from our partner Laufwerk.it. This donation helps us continue our work and provide people with access to functioning IT equipment. We were especially pleased to see a former intern again during this visit: she now works at Laufwerk.it and has just successfully completed part of her high school diploma. Moments like these show us how important our work is and how wonderful it is to see young people forging their own paths. The entire Laufwerk.it team is incredibly friendly and dedicated – working with them is always a pleasure. We sincerely thank Laufwerk.it for their generous support and congratulate our former intern on her success! 

A special thank you goes to Statistics Austria, which recently supported us with a generous donation of 200 PCs and 240 thin clients. After refurbishment, these devices will enable many people to access the digital world. What exactly is a thin client? A thin client is a compact, usually fanless computer specifically designed for accessing servers and cloud applications. Unlike a conventional PC, it has less local processing power and storage space, as the actual programs and data run on a central server. Advantages of thin clients: Energy-efficient (often only 10-20 watts power consumption) Very quiet or silent (no fan) Durable and low-maintenance Compact design (often no larger than a paperback book) Ideal for office applications, internet, and email After refurbishment by PCs für alle Thin clients can be used as fully functional computers for everyday tasks – perfect for people who need an energy-efficient and reliable machine. Thanks to the people behind it! Such large donations are only possible when people in companies take action and advocate for meaningful redistribution. Our special thanks go to: Daniel Ledinger from the IT department of Statistics Austria, who initiated and coordinated the donation; Benjamin Halpern from the Huemer Group, who supported the logistics; Walter Huemer, head of ICT Austria and the Huemer Group, whose commitment demonstrates what corporate responsibility looks like in practice; and Beate Loinger from the association. PCs für allewho collected the devices and ensured their smooth transport. More than just computers: 440 devices mean: 440 people gain access to the digital world. Approximately half a ton of electronic waste avoided. Tons of CO₂ saved by avoiding new production. Digital participation for families, students, and job seekers. This donation is a perfect example of how cooperation between public institutions, businesses, and non-profit organizations can work. Discarded IT equipment gets a second life instead of ending up as e-waste – and people are given the opportunity for digital participation. Many thanks to Statistics Austria, Daniel Ledinger, Benjamin Halpern, Walter Huemer, and Beate Loinger! Do you also have IT equipment that is no longer needed? Contact us – we would be happy to collect your devices and give them a second life. www.statistik.at www.huemer-group.com www.ictaustria.com Beate Loinger and Daniel Ledinger