Awards for the Best Community Engagement Projects

Founder Jürgen Rembold praised the participants’ dedication and thanked them for their excellent ideas for new partnerships. Through his foundation, Rembold recognizes the three best partnerships from the previous year. These were established in 2025 at the “Marktplatz Gute Geschäfte” in Odenthal-Altenberg. Before the official opening, he honored the award winners and emphasized the initiative’s importance as a bridge between business and civil society. *** Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version) ***

The CVJM Bergisch Gladbach, the parents’ association of the Villa Löwenzahn daycare center in Rösrath, and the parents’ initiative for children with heart conditions in Cologne each received a grant of 200 euros. Members of the CVJM participated in a motivational workshop led by Frederike Hofmann, founder of the company “Tanzen mit Friede.” Katha Arndt, a coach and trainer, conducted a resilience training session for the entire team at the Villa Löwenzahn daycare center. Tailor Maria-Theresia Wolff, owner of phantasiali stoffe, sewed special wrap shirts for children who have to stay in the hospital together with members of the parents’ initiative for children with heart conditions.

After the gong sounded, nonprofit organizations and companies engaged in lively discussions, gathered exciting new ideas, and ultimately not only signed formal cooperation agreements but also networked with one another over a delicious buffet.

“The marketplace is a great way to connect with other organizations. It’s exciting to see what others have to offer,” says Dagmar Frebert, team leader of Café Grenzenlos at Inclusio in Bergisch Gladbach. The organization refers to this first agreement as the “centerpiece.”

More than 50 attendees, including Jörg Schiefer, Deputy Mayor of Overath, and Myriam Mutz, Regional Director of Kreissparkasse Köln, engaged in lively discussions throughout the evening and reached agreements. Nonprofit organizations from the district represented included Inclusio Rhein-Berg, the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund, the Cologne Parents’ Initiative for Children with Heart Disease, CBF – Club for People with Disabilities and Their Friends, and Die Platte in Bergisch Gladbach. *** Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version) ***

The participating companies included Ringana, Schneiderei phantasiali stoffe, Tanzen mit Friede, Marlene Weiner – The Training Expert, and Rebecca Gollmer – Consulting for Nonprofits. The Kreissparkasse Köln also sponsored the event once again.

The “Marktplatz Gute Geschäfte” event will take place for the first time on July 2 in Wiehl, in the Oberbergischer Kreis district. The event is also going international: a delegation from Uganda, including AMAIDI directors Mamerito Ssenfuma and Sula Kakande, attended the event in Overath. “AMAIDI plans to host a Marketplace in Uganda next year,” Tanja Siebert announced the new initiative.

All partnership agreements reached during the “Marketplace” event were documented in writing on the evening of the event. The organizing team will oversee their implementation. The best partnerships will be recognized at the next Marketplace, which is scheduled to take place in early summer 2027.

The third marketplace was also supported by the Dr. Jürgen Rembold Stiftung zur Förderung des bürgerschaftlichen Engagements as the main sponsor and the Kreissparkasse Köln with active (wo)man power.

Before Dr. Rembold opened the negotiating floor with a gong, he presented awards to the two best cooperations of the second “Marktplatz Gute Geschäfte Rhein-Berg” in Odenthal. “The project is a prime example of civic engagement,” said the Rösrath founder, explaining the reasons for sponsoring and awarding the prizes. “It builds an important bridge between companies and civil society.”

The prize of 200 euros each was awarded to the Elterninitiative herzkranker Kinder Köln e.V. and the Stiftung Gute Hand. Both projects were supported by the entrepreneur Maria-Theresia Wolff from Phantasiali Stoffe. Dr. Rembold thanked the entrepreneur for her role model function and announced that the most fruitful and sustainable cooperations of the third marketplace would be awarded again in the following year.

After the bell rang, non-profit organizations and companies exchanged ideas intensively, collected exciting new ideas and not only concluded written cooperation agreements, but also made new contacts with each other over a delicious buffet.

Among the participating non-profit organizations were Die Platte e.V., Flotte Kisten Overath e.V., kreativBox & friends e.V., Mentor – Die Leselernhelfer Overath e.V., OVplus Stadtmarketing Overath e.V., RockId one, Stiftung Die Gute Hand, TV Forsbach 1914 e.V., FAIReinskultur. Companies represented included DIENES Werke für Maschinenteile, Feelgood Trainer, Ringana, SBDW – Senioren Beraten Die Wirtschaft, Schneiderei phantasiali stoffe, Vitamin Text, the IT company Vidinli Software, Help in Deal, etc.

Ms. Sylvia Asmussen, Specialist Office for Civic Engagement and Volunteering, also gained first-hand impressions. She is also thinking about implementing the “Good Business Marketplace” in the Oberberg region.

All engagement agreements made during the “Marketplace” were recorded in writing on the evening of the event. Their implementation will be monitored by the organizer team. The best collaborations will be awarded prizes at the next marketplace, which is expected to take place in early summer 2025.

For me, the “Marktplatz Gute Geschäfte” is a prime example of civic involvement.

I was immediately impressed by the concept. The promise to support the “Marktplatz Gute Geschäfte” as main sponsor was therefore quickly given. Last year’s kick-off event was of great importance for the Rheinisch-Bergisch district. It builds a bridge between companies and civil society and can thus lead to more civic involvement overall.

As a personal fan of competitions, I have agreed to award prizes to the most fruitful and sustainable cooperation as an incentive. Even the Corona-related shift of the second marketplace does not change this promise and I hope that we can reward the most fruitful cooperation and projects with a special prize.