The "Pocztowy Dar" Foundation is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. During this time, it has helped hundreds of people in need of support, focusing its efforts on the sick, those in difficult life situations, and gifted children and youth. Nearly 4 million złoty has been allocated for this support. During the coronavirus pandemic, the Foundation has intensified its activities, supporting postal workers and medical professionals.
Poczta Polska (Polish Post) couldn't take a break during the pandemic. Postmen, couriers, and postal employees worked nonstop to ensure the company could provide services wherever possible and give people the feeling that life was at least somewhat like before the pandemic. Employees received protective equipment in the form of masks, gloves, disinfectants, special face shields, and procedures to enhance safety. To date, few postal workers have contracted COVID-19. However, the Postal Foundation, thanks to financial support from companies within the Poczta Polska Group, has preventively established a special aid fund for Poczta Polska Group employees and their families affected by COVID-19. So far, no one has applied for assistance, which undoubtedly means that postal workers are experiencing a relatively mild illness.
Postal workers have recently been hit by other tragedies. In Chodel, a postman's house collapsed due to a gas explosion. The postman's wife and her father died in the rubble. The house had to be demolished. The "Postal Gift" Foundation has set up a special sub-account to collect funds to help a colleague and his family. As a result of a recent storm in the Limanowa district, the house of a retired postal worker was completely flooded. The storm also destroyed the buildings and farm of a postal worker from Skrzydlna. Donors are also helping in these cases, through the Postal Foundation.
"The Pocztowy Dar Foundation has been helping postal workers and their families for 10 years, and in the face of the pandemic, it expanded its activities to include assistance for medical professionals. It's incredibly important for our 80,000-strong community that no one is left in need. Christmas gifts, scholarships for orphans, support for rehabilitation and treatment – these are just some of the forms of assistance the Foundation organizes, bringing together many people for whom helping others is a natural instinct," emphasizes Tomasz Zdzikot, President of the Management Board of Poczta Polska.
"Pocztowy Dar" also purchased specialized medical equipment, a so-called immunological analyzer, which was donated to the Regional Blood Donation and Blood Treatment Center in Białystok. The Białystok analyzer is the only device of its kind in the country owned by regional blood donation and blood treatment centers. It processes patients and samples from blood donors from across Poland. The analyzer can be used to precisely determine the level of anti-SARS-CoV-IgA and anti-SARS-CoV-IgG antibodies in blood plasma from recovered patients and prepare appropriate doses of therapeutic plasma for COVID-19 patients. The Regional Blood Donation and Blood Treatment Center in Białystok is preparing such preparations for patients in infectious disease hospitals across the country. Treatment with convalescent plasma is a very promising treatment method.
"The Pocztowy Dar Foundation wouldn't be able to help so many people without its donors – both employees who generously support all our initiatives, and individuals unrelated to Poczta Polska. In addition to donations from Poczta Polska and companies within the Poczta Polska group, support for both one-time initiatives and ongoing, systematic assistance is crucial. We are very grateful to each of these individuals for their generous hearts and empathy," says Bogusława Kłoda-Dębska, President of the Pocztowy Dar Foundation.
This year, the Foundation's support also went to other medical institutions in Poland:
Seven hospitals will purchase essential equipment, such as an infusion and feeding pump, medical equipment and supplies for the coronavirus analysis laboratory, a defibrillator for ambulances, a patient transport system for isolation chambers, and personal protective equipment for medical staff and patients. Some of this equipment will not only benefit those suffering from COVID-19. The equipment purchased thanks to the Foundation will serve hospitals and their patients for years to come.
