District administrator presents 5,000 euros for St. Afra Hospice and Lichtblicke e.V.

District administrator presents 5,000 euros for St. Afra Hospice and Lichtblicke e.V.

On December 3, 2025, District Administrator Dr. Klaus Metzger gave two generous donation checks for 2,500 euros each to the parents' initiative LICHTBLICKE e.V. and the St. Afra Hospice. This support comes from the annual surplus of the Augsburg waste recycling plant (AVA), which traditionally supports more solid charitable causes. Dr. Metzger praised the valuable work of these two institutions, which are dedicated to supporting seriously ill and dying people. Thomas Kleist, managing director of the parents' initiative, as well as Christine Neukaufer and Robert Winzer from the St. Afra Hospice gratefully accepted the checks.

Last year, the St. Afra Hospice organized a variety of activities, lectures and events that were noticed far beyond the district's borders. Coordinator Christine Neukaufer reported that the outpatient hospice and palliative counseling service is increasingly being used. The positive feedback from visitors shows how popular the hospice's services are. The feedback shows that people in difficult life situations depend on support and guidance.

Services of St. Afra Hospice

“There is something here” – this applies to the ever-growing relevance of palliative care. The guide to hospice and palliative care in Germany now has over 3,000 addresses of various offers and shows that around 1,500 outpatient hospice services with around 100,000 volunteers are active. These services not only provide support for seriously ill people, but also for their families. The diverse offerings are necessary to enable a dignified death.

The German Society for Palliative Medicine emphasizes that the legal right to specialized outpatient palliative care (SAPV) has existed since 2007. The teams specialize in caring for people 24 hours a day and improving their quality of life. “You really make a difference,” said one person responsible for palliative care. The networking of palliative care services is also constantly being promoted, so that hospice and palliative care networks are becoming increasingly important.

An important aspect is the support of terminally ill children and young people. In Germany there are special offers and contact points that are tailored to the special needs of this target group. The information is available in ten languages, making it easier to access for all concerned.

Overall, it can be said that the ongoing support from regional initiatives such as that of the AVA makes an essential contribution to ensuring that such important services can continue to be offered. “Not only is money distributed here, life is made easier here,” says District Administrator Dr. Metzger concludes, thereby illustrating the urgency and necessity of this important work.

For further information about hospice and palliative care in Germany, we recommend taking a look at the guide dgpalliativmedizin.de, which provides comprehensive information.