Caritas Buttek now in Diekirch town centre

On 21 March, Caritas Luxembourg inaugurated the new premises of Caritas Buttek in Diekirch in the presence of the Minister of Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees, Max Hahn, and all its partners.

At the end of December, Caritas Buttek moved to new premises at 15, rue Saint Antoine in Diekirch town centre.

"I am delighted that we have been able to find a place to continue our social work in Diekirch after such a long search," said Marie-Josée Jacobs, President of Caritas Luxembourg, in her introduction.

Caritas Buttek has been based in Diekirch since 2011, near the Forum Emploi centre in Ingelsdorf, and had to leave its premises due to the redevelopment of the site.

For Caritas Luxembourg, however, it was important to be able to stay in Diekirch because of its central location. In fact, 185 families in Diekirch and the surrounding area depend on the social grocery shop for food.

The new premises are divided into three areas with different services:

• The social grocery shop, which enables people in need referred by social partners to do their shopping at a third of the market price. Basic products such as milk and pasta are provided free of charge, thanks to support from the European Union and the Ministry of Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees.
• The Kleederstuff, where people can buy second-hand clothes for between €1 and €12.
• The Kaffisstuff, where people can get a sympathetic ear over a coffee and a piece of cake, because Caritas Buttek is more than just a grocery shop.

Many activities are also organised, such as breakfasts to teach the children of beneficiaries how to eat a balanced diet, or cookery classes for their parents. In 2023, thanks to a partnership with BNP Paribas Cardif, a cookbook with healthy, balanced recipes for a small budget was produced and distributed to Caritas Buttek beneficiaries. A second cookbook will be published in 2024. In the near future, a solidarity walk will be organised as part of the fight against child obesity and the GIMB (Gesond iessen, méi beweegen) project. Other activities and workshops are planned for 2024 as part of a project run in collaboration with the Ministry of Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees, with support from the ESF+ programme (European Social Fund).

The new location of Caritas Buttek in Diekirch will enable new synergies and collaborations. The new visibility, right in the centre of town, is already very positive. Many people who didn't know about Caritas Buttek have come to find out more. Three new volunteers have signed up. Several shopkeepers in the city centre have contacted us to see how we can work together. Clothing donations are also at an all-time high. But the new location is especially beneficial for the beneficiaries: access is much easier than before. In addition, the new premises are much more welcoming and brighter, so that beneficiaries can feel at ease.

To conclude, Caritas Luxembourg would like to thank all those who enable Caritas Buttek to help people in need: donors, volunteers, funders, social partners; and invites the population of Diekirch and the surrounding area not to hesitate to push open the door of Caritas Buttek Diekirch.