On October 6, we – Uschi, Silke, Markus, and I from the Supervisory Reporting department of Erste Sparkassen Services GmbH / Erste Group Services GmbH – had the opportunity to spend a social day at the “Ute Bock” association. The Ute Bock association is an Austrian organization that advocates for refugees and socially disadvantaged people. Founded by the dedicated social worker Ute Bock, the association provides housing, counseling, and everyday support.

The “Büffelböcke” project is a heartfelt initiative by the Ute Bock association in Vienna, offering free tutoring to refugee children aged 6 to 14 since 2017. In a safe and supportive environment, the children receive help with homework, preparation for schoolwork, and access to leisure activities – the project is funded exclusively through donations.

We had the privilege of cooking for these children.

The day began with a small adventure: armed with shopping lists and without umbrellas, we trudged through the rain on foot to find the facility – an experience that immediately bonded us as a team.
After shopping together, we were ready to start cooking at 11:30 a.m., as the first children were expected for lunch at 1:00 p.m.
Beforehand, a volunteer showed us the kitchen and briefly informed us about Ute Bock’s activities. There is truly so much heartfelt help here!

What we accomplished in such a short time exceeded our expectations: we prepared a warm lunch for about 25 children – lentils with dumplings as the main course and curd dumplings with applesauce for dessert. Our team really shone: Markus took on the onion chopping – with such dedication that it even brought tears to our eyes 😊. Silke and Uschi turned out to be true masters of the bread dumplings, and I became an artist when it came to curd dumplings.

After lunch, things got creative: together with some of the girls, we crafted and designed bracelets, which was a particularly loving moment for everyone. The children were incredibly sweet and grateful, and the atmosphere was cheerful and heartwarming throughout.

It was not only a day of social engagement but also a genuine team-building experience that brought us even closer together as colleagues.

Author: Violeta-Florentina Retter