About us
The Beginning
We were founded on the first day of the pandemic and the name 'Help Centre Belgium' was registered on March 17, 2020. Our initial actions were supported by the Regional Office of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship with the approval of the Voivode Marshal. In the following weeks, we received support from the Belgian governmental organization Cocof (Commission communautaire française). In the early days, we started as a group of four friends and quickly became a group of almost 100 people providing supoort during the lockdown in Belgium.
Our teams were sewing masks for Brussels municipalities, operating a 24/7 helpline, and engaging in field activities to assist Polish families and homeless individuals who had no external support. Our Covid-19 related activities concluded in May 2020.
The initial actions of our organization revolved around an incredible surge of the Polish community in Belgium.
During the first weeks of the pandemic, Belgium was under lockdown, and society had restrictions concerning outside activities, including a complete ban on leaving homes. Nevertheless, a huge group of people emerged sewing masks for the Brussels communes and the Liege region, producing face shields, and providing food support for families in need and lonely individuals. From day one, we set up helplines consisting of 55 individuals across these departments: main, healthcare, spiritual support, support for women affected by domestic violence, operating 24/7.
It was an extraordinary time that built a unique community and contributed to the establishment of our organization.
The Elections of 2020
The 2020 Elections presented new challenges for the Polish community in Belgium. Delayed postal voting system in Belgium caused a lack of proper access to voting. Along with a group of volunteers from the headquarters, we set out on journeys across Belgium, which resulted in increasing voter turnout by 7.8% in two rounds of elections.
Providing Assistance to the Homeless
The first lockdown in Belgium made it that the access to first aid for homeless individuals, often those of Polish descent, was limited. In response, at the heart of Brussels, near Grand Place, we established a unique assistance center during the fall and winter of 2020-2021, marking the inaugural Christmas Help campaign. It was the first volunteer activity of our team on such a large scale, all in one place. Thousands of food packs, clothes and hot meals were distributed, thanks to great support from the Polish community in Belgium and partnering Polish stores.
The Great Orchiestra of Christmas Charity 2021
The Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 caused limitations in conducting field activities, especially large-scale events. To participate in the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity (WOŚP) Brussels and draw from our experience from the 2020 elections, we created the WOŚPo-wóz, a mobile unit traveling across Belgium on a two-day route. It was enthusiastically embraced by the Polish community.
The 2021 Floods in Belgium
In July 2021, heavy rainfall hit the eastern part of Belgium, resulting in flooding that the country had not experienced in decades. This event defined the actions of Help Centre Belgium, providing immediate assistance in crisis situations before governmental or larger non-governmental organizations stepped in.
The Polish community in Belgium quickly gathered support in the initial days helping residents in the affected areas and providing direct assistance to The Polish Educational Society in the Millennium Center in Comblain La Tour.
Christmas Help 2021
The experience gained during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 allowed us to earn the trust of authorities in Brussels, as well as receive positive feedback from the Brussels Police. As a result, in 2021, the homeless assistance campaign during Christmas Eve took place with the support of the City of Brussels.
The Great Orchiestra of Christmas Charity 2021
The second edition of the WOŚPo-wóz in Belgium. This time, we created a large mobile shop traveling to various municipalities in the city of Brussels. The second WOŚPo-wóz set off on a route to Antwerp.
International Aid to Ukraine
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched an attack on Ukraine.
During the night of February 24th to 25th we made the decision to initiate a humanitarian aid campaign to support Poland in anticipation of a refugee crisis and provide medical assistance to Ukraine.
Within one day and one month, we engaged a vast number of people in Belgian society, including the Polish community in Belgium. Eleven trucks carrying humanitarian aid worth 500,000€ were sent to various organizations: Polish Red Cross, The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity (WOŚP), Caritas, City of Warsaw, and through the Zustricz Foundation, to the Municipal Hospital in Lviv. This was the largest fundraising from the Polish community in Belgium and the first humanitarian campaign in the country dedicated to support Ukraine. Help Centre Belgium was recognized and honored for its actions during this campaign by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Brussels and the Consulate General of Ukraine in Belgium.
Polish Day in Brussels 2022 – 2023
Two years of dedicating thousands of hours to organizing two events for the Polish community in Belgium.
Want to know more? Visit the 'Polish Day in Brussels' section.
What else have we done?
For over two years, we have been building our flagship project: the Center of the Universe in Brussels (Centrum Wszechświata), along with the projects: Polish Library in Belgium (Polska Biblioteka w Belgii), Culture Neverthless (MiMo Wszystko Kultura), and online media Wiadomo.be.
We invite you to get aquainted with our Activities.
Our team
Our main partners
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