Award of the Wuppertal Heimat Prize

On Tuesday, December 2, the Wuppertal Heimat Prize was awarded for the sixth time. Mayor Miriam Scherff presented the prizes in a festive atmosphere at the Caritas International Meeting Center. The award winners had previously been selected by a diverse jury.

This year, 32 associations and initiatives applied or were nominated for the Heimat Award. The jury chose the following winners:

Chance! Wuppertal
Chance! Wuppertal has been working for many years to help people in Wuppertal who would have little visibility or prospects without support. At the "Haus des Teilens" in Langerfeld, families in need receive food, advice and practical help in everyday life. Children and young people find homework supervision, tutoring and encouragement here so that educational paths do not fail due to background or financial restrictions.
Since the beginning, this commitment has been supported by Father Joachim Stobbe, who at almost 90 years old is still a mentor and driving force. Together with many volunteers, some employees, sponsors and donors, he creates a place where people experience stability, orientation and confidence. Many former children of the facility have found their way into education, work and a self-determined life. Up to 120 children and young people as well as many adults visit the facility every day.
Chance! Wuppertal is not just the name of the commitment, it is the program. People who would otherwise often live on the margins of society are given a chance here. This commitment makes an indispensable contribution to social cohesion in our city. It shows that solidarity, perseverance and human closeness make change possible.

Die Krawatte
Die Krawatte is a meeting place in Heckinghausen where people with and without refugee experience, different religions, languages and life stories come together. In a former tie factory, sponsored by the Protestant parish of Heckinghausen and SkF e.V. Bergisch Land, a flagship project that has attracted attention throughout Germany has been created.
Over 42 projects promote community, participation and understanding. The tie offers people space for creativity, team spirit and personal initiative - a place that is designed together. One example is the marionette theater "Lebensfäden", which gives refugees a creative platform to make their stories, experiences and hopes visible. In joint artistic processes, characters, stage sets and performances are created that tell of love, flight, hope and new beginnings.
The project shows how culture enables integration: people from different backgrounds create together, take responsibility and break down prejudices. The tie is a place of participation, diversity and democracy - a space where people meet, listen and learn from each other. It shows that commitment, creativity and humanity go hand in hand.

Katholischer Gefängnisverein für das Bergische Land e.V.
The Catholic Prison Association has been working for more than 20 years to ensure that people in prison and their families do not lose sight of society. With the Buddy Program, volunteers accompany individual conversations, group offers, exits and the transition from prison back into life outside of prison.
This support provides orientation, relieves families, strengthens relationship skills and enables responsible participation. Regular training, reflection meetings and close cooperation with the prison system, churches and other partners ensure quality and reliability. With the help of the association, many former inmates have been able to find an apartment, start work and begin a self-determined life.
This commitment is a reminder that resocialization is a task for society as a whole. Trust, time and respect are essential for this - values that the association stands for. By awarding the Wuppertal Heimat Prize, this special voluntary work is made visible, recognized and honoured. The association reminds us that human closeness and support behind prison walls can be crucial for a successful new start.

About the award
The city has been awarding the Heimat Prize since 2020. The award is part of the North Rhine-Westphalian Homeland Promotion Program of the State Ministry of Homeland, Municipal Affairs, Building and Digitization. District-free cities such as Wuppertal are provided with 15,000 euros as part of this prize, which can be awarded to up to three prizewinners. A jury representing the diversity and variety of Wuppertal's volunteering landscape will decide on the award.