New board elected: Lebenshilfe district association strong after upheaval!

New board elected: Lebenshilfe district association strong after upheaval!

At the last general meeting of the Lebenshilfe district association there were changes in the board that provided a breath of fresh air. After a year, Bernd Haas resigned from his position as second chairman. The reason for this is personal reasons as he wants to bring about change faster. However, he remains a member of the club. At the same time, Ingrid Schnaller was elected as the new second chairwoman and was the only candidate to receive the trust of the members with a large majority. Her connection to people with disabilities is personal, as she grew up with a cousin with a disability. She uses these experiences to better understand the needs of those affected. Schnaller plans to visit all facilities and listen directly in order to actively help shape it, as Merkur reports.

The remaining board members are Andreas Kohlhauf, Petra Massonne, Petra Wolf in the role of first chairwoman and Renato Wittstadt. Stefan Sobek also resigned from his position because family pressures did not allow him to continue to be active. His post remained vacant for the time being. The Lebenshilfe's rules of procedure allow up to five additional board members, which can be added in the future.

Strong financial backing

The club is in solid financial shape. The annual report and the annual financial statements show that the Lebenshilfe district association is doing well. With almost 400 members and around 50 new members since the new board took office, the community has grown significantly. At a time when society is discussing savings in youth welfare and integration assistance, this increase is seen as a positive sign.

This discussion is also taken up by the federal chairwoman of Lebenshilfe, Ulla Schmidt. She criticizes the statements made by Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the municipal congress of the German Association of Cities and Municipalities. Merz had called for annual increases of up to ten percent to no longer be accepted in youth and integration assistance. Schmidt powerfully argues that this implies that people with disabilities and their families receive unfair benefits. This view is not only wrong, but also jeopardizes the necessary support for equal participation in social life, which is anchored in the Basic Law. Instead, it calls for investments in a barrier-free and inclusive society, since the cost increases can be attributed to the general cost and collective wage development as well as increasing case numbers caused by demographic change and medical progress, as [Lebenshilfe](https://www.lebenshilfe.de/presse/pressemelde/ulla-schmidt-an-den-schwaechsten-der-gesellschaft-darf-auf-nichten-fall-gespart- Werden) summarizes.

It is clear that the Lebenshilfe district association not only has a new board, but is also at a crucial moment in which recognition and support for people with disabilities is required more than ever. Schnaller's approach of actively listening and perceiving the needs of members could be the key to a successful and active association that is committed to its goals.