Every year, Skyggebørn helps 375 children and young people in mourning free of charge and for an indefinite period through bereavement groups, where they have the opportunity to meet other children and young people in the same situation. This is done with the help of 85 volunteer group leaders who have a background in child welfare.

But the need is much greater, because every year 2,000 children in Denmark lose a parent, and an estimated 100,000 children and young people live in families where serious illness overshadows normal life.

That is why the Margit and Sol og Strand Foundation is now supporting Skyggebørn with a donation of DKK 100,000.
"It will make a huge difference to the children who become part of Skyggebørn's work," says Skyggebørn founder Jes Dige.

Skyggebørn is based in Aalborg and has branches in Copenhagen, Aarhus, and most recently Esbjerg. With the donation from Sol og Strand and Sol og Strand Foundation, a social media campaign and general awareness-raising efforts will increase knowledge about Skyggebørn and pave the way for even more children to have the opportunity to join the grief support groups. The goal is for 450 children to be part of Skyggebørn's grief support groups by 2023.

These are children who are facing the worst crisis of their lives, and at the same time they are experiencing that their immediate family is also affected by the event that is making their lives so difficult. Whether it is death or life-threatening or chronic illness in the family.

Our groups meet every 14 days and talk about the many difficult things in the children's everyday lives. In the oldest groups—where the children are ten years old and older—we meet an hour and a half before the group meeting. Here, the groups prepare food and eat together. This informal part is important for team spirit and for welcoming new participants, says Jes Dige.

"HOLIDAYS WITH A GOOD HEART" – SURPLUS FUNDS BENEFIT CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS 

It is unique in the Danish tourism industry that part of the profits from Sol og Strand's rental of summer houses and holiday homes are converted into support for charitable and local causes.

The chairman of the fund's board, Jens Stadum, is delighted that Sol og Strand's homeowners, holidaymakers, and employees have contributed their input to the process:

We are very proud that, for the third year in a row, we are able to distribute one million kroner to charitable causes. From the applications we receive—and from the feedback we get from last year's recipients of donations from the fund—we can see that the donations make an important difference to many people. Our donations go to organizations that really help many people who are struggling. The money is really needed. And that applies both in Denmark and beyond its borders, says the chairman of the board.

"We can say with a clear conscience that when you take a vacation through Sol og Strand, you are contributing to doing something good for others. That's what we call 'vacation with a good heart,'" says Jens Stadum.

FOUNDERS OF THE FUND: SOL OG STRAND REMAIN DANISH – AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The founders of Sol og Strand A/S, Margit and Kjeld Andersen, established the " Sol og Strand Foundation Sol og Strand Margit and Kjeld" in 2019.

The couple had two wishes: to keep Sol og Strand Danish hands and continue to develop it, but also to ensure that the company's profits primarily go to charitable and humanitarian causes.

"We can see that others are benefiting greatly from the money we channel through the fund to humanitarian and charitable causes. This is confirmed when we see the long list of qualified applications that have been submitted to the fund again this year," says Kjeld Andersen.

It has been 43 years since he and his wife Margit Andersen established Sol og Strand .

Margit Andersen adds: "
It is clear that the applications come from organizations that are passionate about making a difference. And that is what matters to us. We are very pleased to see the quality of the work we are donating money to, and we feel really good about being able to help," says Margit Andersen.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: 

Jes Dige, founder of Skyggebørn, tel. 20122209

Jens Stadum, Chairman of the Board of Directors Sol og Strand the Margit and Sol og Strand Foundation, tel. 40856733

Kristian Andersen, PR and Press Manager at Sol og Strand A/S, tel. 40293837