STRONG CHILDREN

Since its founding, the STARKE KINDER – Gertrude and Hannelore Klier Foundation has been actively promoting access for children and adolescents from low-income families to sports and musical leisure activities in the Bremen area. The foundation provides financial grants to cover costs such as instrument rental fees, lessons, club membership fees, and necessary equipment expenses. This funding program is based on the principle that music and sports are important elements for personality development, strengthening teamwork skills, and fostering creativity. The support is particularly aimed at young people who wish to engage in areas such as culture, media, sports, and work & social affairs, thereby gaining new life perspectives through their leisure activities.

Applications are accepted continuously, with formal proof of financial need—such as the Bremen Pass, notification of ALG II benefits, housing allowance, or child supplement—required alongside a personal interview as part of the selection process. These interviews, which take place at the foundation’s address and, under special circumstances, at other locations, serve to better understand individual needs and to evaluate the application as thoroughly as possible. Priority is given especially to children and adolescents from the Bremen districts of Hastedt and Osterholz, so that the founders’ regional ties are an important criterion in the decision-making process. The practice of ongoing application submissions combined with fixed evaluation dates ensures that all interested applicants can benefit from the funding flexibly and promptly.

The funding program offers more than just financial support—it emphasizes the societal value of sports and music as means to promote self-confidence, perseverance, and social integration. The initiative aims to break down barriers and enable young people to access a wide range of leisure activities that strengthen both their personal development and social participation. Through this targeted provision of financial assistance, every child and adolescent gains the opportunity to develop their own talents in a supportive environment and to accumulate positive experiences in the long term. The STARKE KINDER Foundation thus makes a significant contribution to an inclusive, future-oriented society in which every young person has the chance to thrive optimally, regardless of their family’s financial resources.