Adopt, don't shop! Animal shelters in the Czech Republic and Slovakia are full of fluffy souls who have been abandoned, hurt or given up by their former owners. Adopting an animal from a shelter means bringing a new source of joy in your life and giving a second chance to a pet who wants nothing more than to love-bomb their new owners to bits, a.k.a. an absolute win-win situation. Some of our Purple colleagues decided to visit a shelter and adopt a pet for themselves; and even though the beginnings might have been a bit difficult from time to time, they wouldn't trade them for the world. Read about the Purple pets from shelters who made our colleagues' lives exponentially better and learn why shelter adoption is a great choice! Ella (and her owner Barbora) What’s your pet’s name and how old are they? Ella, 10 months. Which shelter does she come from? OZ Chlpáčik Snina:  https://chlpaciksnina.kapastudio.eu/ . Do you know what her life was like before she got in the shelter? Ellinka comes from a Roma settlement. The shelter knew of her owner for a very long time (they saw them together and hoped he would bring her to the shelter, as he was not even able to take care of himself, let alone a puppy). In the end, her owner threw her over the fence into a strangers’ house who had two giant dogs. Luckily, they didn’t cause Ella any harm. With a scratch on her nose and in a very neglected state, Ellinka finally got into the shelter and then into foster care.   What were the adoption process and the adoption day like? How did you communicate with the shelter? We stumbled upon Ellinka while browsing  https://www.pesweb.cz/ . We filtered out shelters closest to Brno and asked about a couple of dogs. In two days, a Slovak number called back. It was the owner of the Chlpáčik shelter who asked us why we were interested in Ellinka, about our experience with dogs and described the process of adoption.  Are you wondering why it was a Slovak number that called? In order for Czech citizens to adopt a dog from Slovakia, a Slovak shelter with the pet in question needs to be sheltered by a Czech shelter. The filter thus showed a Czech animal shelter, but in reality, Ellinka was located in the east of Slovakia! Because it wasn’t a regular shelter, but an organization more than 500 km away, the whole adoption process was quite strict.  The second call came from a Czech lady, who played the role of the bad cop we needed to get through to. She was asking pretty personal questions, for example if we had saved enough money as having a pet is not cheap, or how long had we been together with my boyfriend and who would keep the dog in case we broke up.  Looking back now I realise that their goal is to place the dog with good people without the risk of them being returned to the shelter, but this lady really had no mercy on us. She wanted to see pictures of our flat, offices where we planned to take Ella sometimes and even of our previous dogs.  Thank god we didn’t get intimidated and I told her openly that I didn’t understand why we felt like she’s trying to bust us and that we had previously had a shelter dog and thus know the responsibility it takes to have one.  The third round was a visitation by the Czech shelter lady. She came to check that the pictures of our flat were really of our flat and not, for example, our parents’. She also wanted to have a chat and get to know us a bit. The next day, we got a call from the owner of the shelter saying that we proved ourselves to be good adoptive parents for Ella. She also said there was a family driving back to Brno that day who would bring Ella home for us and we didn’t have to drive all the way to eastern Slovakia to get her.  It was just meant to be. What were your first days together in a new home like? Ella fit in immediately. She was only 5 months old back then and so it was enough to blackmail her with treats and tire her out before her first night. She was used to living in a flat. Because she was in foster care before, there were no shenanigans at home and she was taught all the rules of hygiene. It was like she had always been here.  What surprised you most about adoption? I think the very strict process did. But, as I said, you don’t have to be scared. Try to communicate openly. The reason the process is so strict is to filter out people who are not seriously interested.  What should one be careful about when adopting a pet? Don’t get intimidated, definitely don’t lie about anything. Don’t send any money in advance. What are some of your pup’s bad habits that keep you on your toes? Her reactivity – she is not afraid of bad-tempered dogs and doesn’t hesitate to start a fight. She is a hunting dog, too, which means cats and voles are like a drug for her and she almost managed to dislocate my shoulder a couple of times.  And what do you love most about Ella? I love everything about her! She is our little baby bat who loves to be active and adores being in the forest, just like her owners.  Sheva (and her owner Roman) What’s your pet’s name and how old are they? Sheva is almost 3 years old. Which shelter does she come from? She comes from the Tuláčik shelter in Brezno, Slovakia:  https://utuloktulacik.sk/ . Do you know what her life was like before she got in the shelter? She was found in a Roma settlement. Unfortunately, I didn’t learn anything more about her story.  What were the adoption process and the adoption day like? The process was quite fast. The vet administered the rest of the necessary vaccinations, I signed a contract, paid a €100 fee and that was it! How did you communicate with the shelter?  The communication was really easy. We talked through their Instagram page, where I actually saw Shevinka for the first time.  What were your first days together in a new home like?  Our beginning together was incredible, we were best friends from day one.  What surprised you most about adoption?  What surprised me the most was that I was not 100% ready for the adoption. Before you adopt a pet, you need to learn a ton of things – read some literature on the adoption, watch videos, etc. What should one be careful about when adopting a pet? It is very important to pick a dog who matches your lifestyle. Active dogs need a lot of exercise and action, they shouldn’t be locked inside for a long time.   What are some of your pup’s bad habits that keep you on your toes? As she has a bit of hunting gene in her DNA, she loves to disappear and hunt for hares and cats. Luckily, she hasn’t brought me any trophies yet! And what do you love most about Sheva? She is just an Energizer battery. She turned my life upside down and I am incredibly grateful to her for that.

Adopt, don't shop! Animal shelters in the Czech Republic and Slovakia are full of fluffy souls who have been abandoned, hurt or given up by their former owners. Adopting an animal from a shelter means bringing a new source of joy in your life and giving a second chance to a pet who wants nothing more than to love-bomb their new owners to bits, a.k.a. an absolute win-win situation. Some of our Purple colleagues decided to visit a shelter and adopt a pet for themselves; and even though the beginnings might have been a bit difficult from time to time, they wouldn't trade them for the world. Read about the Purple pets from shelters who made our colleagues' lives exponentially better and learn why shelter adoption is a great choice! Jake (and his owner Ivana) What’s your pet’s name and how old are they? His name is Jake and he is 4 years old. In the shelter, they called him Cooper, but that name just didn’t fit him right.  Which shelter does he come from? He is from the Tuláčik shelter in Brezno, Slovakia: https://utuloktulacik.sk/ . Do you know what his life was like before he got in the shelter? Most of the puppies in the shelter have been rescued from an abusive environment. Jake was brought there from a Roma settlement. What were the adoption process and the adoption day like? How did you communicate with the shelter? The communication was amazing. I was originally interested in a different dog, but someone had already adopted him. The shelter then offered me puppies that hadn’t been posted online yet, because they had been rescued only a couple of daysprior. I have always wanted a puppy, as I didn’t dare to adopt an older dog, even though I had raised a couple of dogs before. Shelter pups are often traumatized and I was a bit scared of that. The shelter asked a lot of questions before the adoption – where will the dog live, who will raise him, in what conditions, and I also had to send the shelter pictures of the place where Jake would live so that they could decide if it’s the right fit for him. On the day of adoption, we picked him up, I learned about his vaccinations and medical appointments that needed yet to be arranged, I got a passport for him and after paying a fee, I could take him home.  What were your first days together in a new home like? Difficult. Because Jake came from a bad environment, he wasn’t your typical reckless and playful puppy ready to explore the world. He was really scared of us, as he had horrible experience with people, and kept hiding away. I was hand-feeding him granules one by one and slept by his side on the ground so that he would get used to my presence and start trusting me. What surprised you most about adoption? It is quite a demanding process, which is actually pretty great, as the shelter wants to ensure that the dog goes to good owners who won’t return him back to the shelter.  What should one be careful about when adopting a pet? Make sure to find out as much about the dog as possible. Ask if they are good with other animals and whether there are any traumas from their past. If you don’t know this, you risk a lot, because working with a traumatized animal is hard and requires 24/7 care to turn them around. In the end, however, it is absolutely worth it and the person gains the most faithful companion.  What are some of your pup’s bad habits that keep you on your toes? Not really a bad habit, but the trauma that he’s been carrying with him since puppyhood. He is scared of new people and other dogs before he gets to know them, but I am trying to get him to socialise constantly so that he can let go of his fear.  And what do you love most about Jake? Everything. Even though we haven’t spoken a single word in the 4 years I’ve had him, he is my best friend. If I don’t feel good, he will come to me and stay with me until I’m better. He makes me happy every day and is the best buddy one could ask for.  Miata (and her owner Daniela) What’s your pet’s name and how old are they? Miata celebrated her second birthday this year. Which shelter does she come from? From the Tibet shelter in Bučovice: https://www.utulektibet.cz/ . Do you know what her life was like before she got in the shelter? She was one of the many kittens saved from the tornado in Břeclavsko and Hodonínsko in 2021. Back then, she was not even a month old.  What were the adoption process and the adoption day like? How did you communicate with the shelter? One weekend we went to the shelter to take a look at their cats and this little minx completely won us over. We took her home two weeks later. The communication was amazing, there were no issues, we got very clear instructions and some dry food for the road.  What were your first days together in a new home like? She didn’t stop purring for the first two weeks and was the cuddliest little girl, always glued to someone’s side, she used to sleep on my head… She had no problems adapting to the new environment. William (her dog roommate) was the one who was terribly confused about the creature we dragged home.  What surprised you most about adoption? Not much, really, except the fact that we were fostering Miata for a year and only then she became 100% mine.  What should one be careful about when adopting a pet? To really adopt, not shop. What are some of your kitten’s bad habits that keep you on your toes? She is sometimes more stubborn than me and thinks she can do anything. These days, for example, she learned how to jump on the kitchen counter and when I try to get her down, she looks just about ready to call the animal protection services on me. And what do you love most about Miata? How chatty and cuddly in the morning she is. She is my cute little lovebug who accompanies me even to the bathroom and will let me annoy her as much as I want. 

In this series, I want to introduce my personal heroes who deserve recognition and inspire you to do right by the world, even though it sometimes feels like our efforts might not make even the smallest difference. Believe me, they all do. Happy reading! Jan Richter is a doctor, business owner, first-aid trainer and author of LinkedIn articles that are educative, hit the nail on the head and, most importantly, really fun to read. He is also a long-time friend, collaborator and supporter of our foundation and a wonderful human being. How do so many talents and activities fit into his week and still leave him some time for his family and an occasional beer or two? What were the biggest lessons he learned in his medical practice and in which obscure location did he and his wife meet? Find out this, and much more, in the interview.  In your LinkedIn profile, the #LepšíLékař (#BetterDoctor) hashtag caught my attention. What does it mean for you to be a better doctor? Have you set any goals that will make you one? Allow me to add a bit to this, as I think it's very important. My profile says: "On the way to be a #BetterDoctor." I don't wish to nit-pick, but I wanted to highlight that it is, indeed, a journey. I don’t think that there is a particular goal I can reach that will magically turn me into a better doctor. I am convinced, however, that a better doctor should, first of all, treat their patients with great respect. Whenever I am in my office tending to a patient, I think to myself: " Honzo, how would you want to be treated if you swapped places with them?" After all, good communication makes up 70% of a doctor’s good impression.  A better doctor never stops studying and educates themselves not only in the field of medicine, but also in soft skills. A better doctor is incorporating modern technology into their practice, which is why I am working on digitizing our ECGs, learning to work with the ultrasound and wish to deploy AI to discover hospital infections. I also use AI to evaluate some ECGs. A better doctor can save a person's life in times of illness, and the very best doctor makes sure that the illness does not occur in the first place. In 2015, you and your wife founded the Učíme první pomoc (We teach first aid) company. How is it doing and what do you consider the most important milestones in its existence? When it comes to the financial side of things, we have grown every year so far, except for the covid years. Last year we had a record turnover. There have been two substantial milestones on our journey. The first one was hiring an operations manager who makes the business run smoothly and doesn't require my wife or me to be as involved. The second milestone was definitely when we managed to pay off all the debt and got into green numbers. At one moment, we suddenly discovered that buying a new mobile phone, electronics or an expensive vacation every year does not really fulfil us; and we started donating a part of the profit to charity every year. Last year, we donated a total of 100,000 CZK. The majority went to help Ukraine in the form of medical supplies, medicine, disinfectants and other necessities, and 20,000 CZK was donated to the children's hospice – Dům pro Julii (House for Julia). After all, you were the ones who connected us with the hospice, for which I want to thank you. In the midst of the pandemic, you started working in the Nemocnice Milosrdných Bratří (Hospital of the Merciful Brothers) in Brno. Did the pandemic change you in any way? Have you learned anything new about yourself? Before the pandemic, I worked as a head doctor in a small pharmaceutical company producing medicine from blood plasma. There were definitely moments that I would consider stressful and on the verge of crisis in that environment, but it was always about money. None of this compares to a typical day in the ER. This is where life is at stake every single moment, be it the pandemic or not. How do you take care of your mental well-being after a hard day in the hospital? Every day, I come back home to my wife and our little Agátka. An occasional pub visit with my friends is, of course, equally as important. I like to ski in the winter and cycle in the summer.  You must have experienced situations in your practice that are forever written in your memory. Is there a positive experience that stands out which you could share with us? There are many such situations, but as doctors, we have a very dark sense of humour, so I would rather not share them. However, I can perhaps mention one. This one time, I went to a room with three patients for a morning visit. According to the schedule, though, only two patients were supposed to be in. I examined them all and then went to ask the nurses if we happened to have a newcomer. They did not know of any new patients and did not see or hear of the third person. So, I went back to see this "stranger" elderly patient, who very confidently claimed that she was at home and not in the hospital. She tore off her name bracelet and introduced herself to me with three different names. In the end, we called all the LTC departments and found out that a patient was missing from the C ward. What were your student days like and what advice would you give to medical students today? My student days were beautiful, after all, it was in the autopsy room that I met my wife. However, the studies were demanding and we learned thousands of pages of material that we will never use in practice and, on the contrary, we were never taught the practical things. I would advise students to apply for extracurricular internships and see the realities of the job, but this piece of advice probably applies in general to all fields. If you weren't a doctor, what career path would you choose? I am a very ambitious person. Before I decided to go back to medicine, I used to manage 12 doctors and countless non-medical staff. I would probably choose a fast-growing environment with great scalability, transparent corporate culture and soft spot for charity, ideally in Brno. I think I might go for a fintech company. :D Is there a particular field of healthcare you consider often overlooked and deserving of more attention - one whose innovations would significantly contribute to improving the overall situation of the national healthcare? In our country, it is certainly prevention. I would put the prevention of cardiovascular disease in the first place, as it is terribly neglected and thousands of people walk around with undiagnosed high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol. I don't even need to mention oncology prevention. What is currently the biggest challenge for you, work-wise? It is, without a doubt, my work-life balance. According to my work schedule alone, I spend 240-260 hours a month at the hospital, plus teaching first aid, managing the company or writing articles on LinkedIn, which takes up another 40 hours. As you can see, I am not too successful yet. What do you consider to be your greatest professional success and what was, on the contrary, the greatest lesson learned for you? I will perhaps answer a little more in general. Thanks to my entrepreneurship, I have adopted a different mindset than most of my colleagues. For me, every problem has a solution, and every problem is an opportunity. If I don't have a radiologist available in the ER at night, I learn to work with ultrasound. If there is no neurologist available, I sign up for a neurology internship. All this then makes me, bit by bit, a better doctor. One that I myself would like to have. I learn a different lesson every day. I consider it important to admit my mistakes, which is not really usual in our industry. To sum up, I see my greatest success in the fact that I am always "hungry" for improvement, growing and using my professional lessons learned to do better next time.

In this series, I want to introduce my personal heroes who deserve recognition and inspire you to do right by the world, even though it sometimes feels like our efforts might not make even the smallest difference. Believe me, they all do. Happy reading! Our paths crossed with Róbert Balušík from Slovakia for the first time in 2020, when we learned about his Joystick Car project – a chance for people with physical disabilities to independently drive a car. In 2021, we supported it with a sum of 50 000 CZK. In the meantime, he enchanted us with both his humility and ambition, which is the reason I decided to include him in our People we admire series.  What is a joystick car? It is an adaptation of a car from driving with a steering wheel into driving with a joystick for physically handicapped people who cannot hold or reach the steering wheel, engine start, pedals, or other car parts. When finished, Róbert’s goal was to offer the best practices to the target group and ensure homologation in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. What’s more, he wished to lend the car to a driving school in the Czech Republic for the possibility of physically disabled people to obtain a driving license for it. Róbert Balušík set on this journey at the age of 23 and finished it in August 2022, owning and getting his own driving license for the first joystick car in Slovakia and Czechia.  Róbert is an entrepreneur who graduated in IT studies, currently working as a Strategic Projects Manager in LEAF Bratislava, focusing on uplifting start-up ecosystem in Slovakia along with providing mentoring & knowledge support for young professionals and students. Since his birth, Róbert has suffered with muscle and joint illness called arthrogryposis, but wished to lead as independent a life as possible. Arthrogryposis is a condition involving multiple joint contractures, where the range of motion of a joint is limited. It may be unable to fully or partially extend or bend.  After four years of jumping through bureaucratic, legal, financial and systematic hoops, Róbert managed to both have his car adjusted to joystick in Germany and obtain his driving license in Přelouč, Czechia. It might be very important to realize here that Róbert was willing to take the road less travelled and bring a prototype of a vehicle that will undoubtedly help thousands of people with physical disability drive a car independently. How exactly does it work? "I will control the car with a joystick. If I put my elbow on it and pull towards myself, I increase the speed. I can brake by moving it forward and as soon as I tilt the joystick to the side, the steering wheel turns. I use my voice to control the turn signals, wipers, horn, windows, engine start and air conditioning.”  Before the project got to a successful finish, Róbert had to:  - Travel to Germany to try out driving a joystick car, where he drove for five days and whopping 960 km. - Invest 2.5 million CZK to have his car adjusted. Through his own efforts, he was able to collect 30 000 EUR out of this sum with a public donation campaign. - Travel back to Germany to have his own car adjusted. The Paravan GmbH company fixed his vehicle up with a SPACE DRIVE II driving system, suitable for this purpose due to its sensitivity and convertibility.  - Find a driving instructor willing to undergo a special, 2-week training in Germany to be able to guide him through the process of obtaining his driving license. Luckily, he found an instructor in a driving school in Přelouč. Finishing this course and helping Róbert was the swan song of his career, making it a really special moment.  - And finally, travel to Czechia to obtain his driving license, the first one of its type in Slovakia and Czechia.  Watch a video of Róbert driving the car with his driving license for the first time here . What’s next? After the completion of his project, Róbert knows there is still a long journey for people with a disability to get their hands on a joystick car and a driving license to use it. The main reason is the price – the whole journey is incredibly expensive and unimaginable for a person with a regular or lower-than-regular salary. He himself didn’t, unfortunately, get any financial support from the state. Another problem is the fact that even though there exists a way to adjust a steering wheel car to a joystick one, it is still impossible to perform it in Slovakia and Czechia due to problems with safety permits and other bureaucratic obstacles. Germany remains the closest country to allow and perform this transformation. Róbert has the guts to fight for a systemic change now. The aim is to bring the best practices and the possibility of owning a joystick car and getting a license to drive it for affordable prices to people in Slovakia and Czechia. Róbert does not beat around the bush and tries to talk to and achieve change directly with the Slovak parliament.  What incredible effort and results from a young man who is simply trying to help! I highly recommend keeping an eye on his professional journey. I have a feeling we will be very surprised by his achievements in the future. Sources:  Róbert Balušík’s own photographs  hopkinsmedicine.org linkedin.com muzes.cz sarm.pluska.sk

2022 in Purple Foundation was a busy year full of changes, upgrades, wonderful projects and cooperation with our Purple team colleagues. We managed to divide an amazing sum of 3 596 483 Kč (€153 305). Wondering which projects we decided to support this year? Check them out below and send us an email to info@purple-foundation.com in case you know of any other projects worth supporting! Člověk v tísni Sum donated: 825 119 Kč (€34 359) Člověk v tísni immediately launched the largest aid campaign up to date in the Czech Republic. Their staff operate in the west and east of Ukraine, where they provide humanitarian, financial and psychological assistance. They are also providing assistance in newly liberated areas and towns, such as Kherson and Lyman. Across the country, they continue to repair houses, water systems and makeshift power supplies.  In Czechia, ČVT help refugees to integrate, find accommodation, work, school and healthcare. 450,000 refugees have arrived in the Czech Republic since the start of the war - the highest number per capita of any EU country. Find out more   here . Linka bezpečí, z.s. Sum donated: 100 000 Kč (€4 164) Linka bezpečí is a helpline for children, parents, grandparents or educators that need help but cannot or are afraid to find it in their immediate environment.  The purpose of our donation is to financially support the organization's cooperation with Czech schools in the amount of CZK 50,000 - they help them cope with the arrival of new pupils from Ukraine and their integration, which is difficult especially for them, but also for Czech children and their teachers. Another CZK 50,000 was used for the operation of the children's crisis line, which records a significant increase in serious psychological problems among children. Find out more  here . Zajíček na koni, o.p.s. Sum donated: 30 000 Kč (€1 266) Café AdAstra in Prague, a lovely eatery run by organization Zajíček na koni, o.p.s., is a café employing people with handicaps. They work in the kitchen, behind the bar and as waiting staff.  The purpose of our gift this year was to support a project helping Ukrainian refugees - in cooperation with specialized organizations, Zajíček na koni delivered lunches, dinners and other meals to families from Ukraine. Mothers and children from UA are often accommodated in temporary dormitories and accommodations without access of hot (and other) food, and the organization provided assistance with delivery.  Find out more  here . Hedepy Sum donated: 50 000 Kč (€2 082) Hedepy is a provider of online therapy sessions all over the Czech Republic.  The donated sum helped the company finance their project  of offering free online therapy to citizens of Ukraine with Ukrainian-speaking, trained therapists . They provide therapy to people in Ukraine, in refugee centers, on the front line, and in the refugees' new homes. Fun fact - hedepy is also one of the trusted businesses in our Purple Ventures portfolio! Find out more  here . Roman Pupkov Sum donated: 30 000 Kč (€1 249) Roman Pupkov is our Purple colleague from Ukraine and a wonderful human being, as well as a great example of the fact that one can help in so many ways, if we only put our mind to it. Being an avid football player, Roman decided to help ease the burden and stress of the war in Ukraine of more than 22 children and started an afternoon football group for Ukrainian boys and girls aged 6-16 in Prague - Letná. The club is meeting once a week and as far as I know, the football club is getting popular and more and more children are joining! We are happy to have been able to support him in his charity endeavour. Find out more  here . Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute Sum donated: 1 190 783 Kč (€49 586) Masarykův onkologický ústav Brno is always trying to ensure the highest possible comfort and care for their patients undergoing chemotherapy. A patient can spend 30 minutes – 8 hours on an armchair while the procedure is taking place which can be a highly uncomfortable ordeal.  We are happy to have provided 14 application chairs for chemotherapy for their new pavilion. These are equipped with 2 holders for IV poles, electric backrest and legrest, a push bar, a desk, and much more, keeping the patients nice and comfy.  Find out more  here. Canisterapeutické centrum BELA Sum donated: 36 021 Kč (€1 500) Canistherapy is a therapy with dogs, a.k.a. the dream of every person ever.  The purpose of our gift to the organization is to help provide free intervention with the assistance of dogs for families with medically disadvantaged children or for individual children with mental disorders. These interventions are either educational - dogs help children with learning disabilities, or therapeutic in combination with physiotherapy - children exercise with the assistance of a special dog. Canistherapy also helps children with autism spectrum disorder. Find out more  here . RATOLEST BRNO z.s. Sum donated: 70 000 Kč (€2 914) The purpose of our financial gift to RATOLEST is supporting the Center for Prevention and Resocialization service, dedicated to the prevention of conflicts with the law among children and adolescents. This service includes two programs - Aristotle and Change Direction, that help reduce the risk of developing socio-pathological behavior or recidivism, teach clients to actively spend their free time and take responsibility for their behaviour. Find out more  here . Člověk v tísni - Lepší škola pro všechny Sum donated: 100 000 Kč (€4 164) Lepší škola pro všechny - Better schools for everyone - is a fantastic educational program of Člověk v tísni.  The project helps children from socially disadvantaged families to successfully complete primary school or the transition from kindergarten to primary school through direct or online tutoring. Volunteers also act as a link between family and school. Convincing parents that they should support their children in learning is often just as important as the time spent on tutoring. Among other things, successful completion of elementary school will significantly increase the children's chances of getting a job as adults. Find out more  here . Café D'Astra Sum donated: 150 000 Kč (€6 328) Walking alongside the riverside of Vltava in Prague, why not get some coffee at a café that helps people with a handicap get employed! Purple Foundation is a proud supporter of Café AdAstra, a lovely eatery run by organization Zajíček na koni, o.p.s.  Café D'Astra employs 20 people with various disabilities (both physical and mental). The organization receives allowance for disabled employees, but they lack money for assistants, without whom, for example, employees with Down syndrome cannot work. The donated amount is used to cover the costs of the assistants' wages. Find out more  here . ParaCENTRUM Fenix, z. s. Sum donated: 200 000 Kč (€8 328) The organization helps spinal cord-injured (SCI) people and their families make a safe return to an active life and they have been our trusted partner organization for a long time. The purpose of our gift is to financially support the Personal Assistance service. Thanks to the help of a personal assistant, people with mobility disabilities are able to stay in their home environment without requiring constant care from their loved ones. The personal assistant takes on the job of personal care, personal hygiene, helps with food provision, maintains the client's household according to their requirements, but also accompanies them to sports or cultural activities. Find out more  here . Cesta domů, z.ú. Sum donated: 100 000 Kč (€4 164) So many people deal with the need to take care of their terminally ill relatives and loved ones and they are definitely a group of those who need help. Therefore, we decided to support the home hospice Cesta domů, z.ú. that focuses on the often taboo theme of dying. It is a group of professionals who provide education on the topic, lend the tools needed to care for the long-term sick at home and run the hospice and community center themselves.  This time, our donation helped them with publishing activities, as well as financing the salary of the head of educational programs,who is in charge of all development of education for the professionals and public. Find out more  here . SOS dětské vesničky, z.s. Sum donated: 100 000 Kč (€4 164) We are so happy   to support the amazing organization SOS Dětské vesničky!  This year, the purpose of our gift is to support their SOS Kompas social activation service for families with children, the aim of which is to prevent the breakup of families and the placement of children in institutional care. The goal of the service is to stabilize a family that is in a difficult social or material situation, so that they are able to independently manage the demands of everyday life and provide their children with an adequate environment for their all-around development and safety. Social workers help parents and children solve their adverse social situation and maintain family ties and a safe environment for raising children.  Find out more  here . Dům pro Julii, z.ú. Sum donated: 150 000 Kč (€6 246) Dům pro Julii is the first hospice for children in the Czech Republic and we have been supporting their activities for years.  The purpose of  our donation this time is a purchase of the necessary technical equipment for the organization's new office and covering  the salary of a full-time caregiver. The organization is working on the construction of a children's hospice in Brno, where experienced health professionals, caregivers, psychologists, clergymen, social workers and others will provide the best possible care during difficult times for the clients' families.  Find out more  here . ProFem, o.p.s. Sum donated: 100 000 Kč (€4 164) The purpose of this financial gift is to contribute to the construction of the first center for victims of sexual violence in Czechia. The center will provide crisis assistance, i.e. social and psychological assistance to victims, at any time of the day; there will be a crisis room for a short-term stay if the client is interested in order to provide her with a safe space for stabilization; collection and storage of samples without the need to commit in any way to use these samples in the criminal-legal resolution of the situation; and an interrogation room in case the client decides to take legal action.  Find out more  here . Společnost E Sum donated: 72 000 Kč (€2 998) An organization that has been supporting people with epilepsy since 1990 and their main goal is integrating them into society.  In 2022, we decided to support their project "People with epilepsy ease discrimination and stigma about living with epilepsy." The goal of the project is to have dozens of people with epilepsy experience less discrimination or stigmatization in their lives, The program takes place through Epizóna information portal, awareness-raising activities - discussions and webinars, and peer support in virtual groups for people with epilepsy and their relatives. Find out more  here . Společnost pro ranou péči, pobočka Brno Sum donated: 112 560 Kč (€4 687) The organization helps families with children who are born with a visual or other disability; or endangered development - the parents are then more ready and comfortable in their kids' upbringing.  The purpose of our donation is to support the provision of personnel capacity for client families, The complex work of a counselor includes regular personal consultations in the family's home approx. 4 - 6 times a year and constant support of the counselor by phone and email; professional visual stimulation of the child, etc. Find out more  here . Replug me Sum donated: 50 000 Kč (€2 082) This wonderful organization is dealing with the influence of digital technologies on the mental health, especially with young children.  Replug Me created the Digital Education in Schools program which is being piloted in South Moravia. They built the methodology on their own research and work in the field and aim to make the program a subject of the regular school curriculum. The donated amount will finance the introduction of the program to the Gajdošova elementary school in Brno (chosen by Dana as she did her teaching practice there and loved the school). Find out more  here .    Hospic sv. Alžběty o.p.s. Sum donated: 130 000 Kč (€5 413) Hospic sv. Alžběty is the only inpatient hospice in Brno, taking care of as many as 400 patients a year. In the last year, they built a respite care wing as well helping family caretakers get some much needed free time - their loved ones are taken care of there for up to 3 weeks. This time, our donation helped the facility purchase protective clothing for hospice employees and the renewal of outdated computer technology. Find out more  here. PURPLE GROUP HELPS See what we were up to in 2021 below!  Gardening with ADRA The senior home at Podpěrová in Medlánky needed some help tending to. This is where company volunteers organized by ADRA enter the game! Three of our Purple colleagues decided to spend the afternoon raking leaves, defeating insidious weeds and expanding tomato beds, cheered on by a couple of seniors enjoying the garden on a nice autumn day. We will definitely do it again in 2023! Find out more  here . Run for Hospic sv. Alžběty, Brno The run for Hospic sv. Alžběty is becoming our tradition with 3rd year successfully finished - our ladies-only Purple team managed to crush their 5.7 and 11.4 km runs like it was nobody's business!  The participants helped the hospice build and equip their new wing - it will give the hospice enough space for a daily care unit where families of terminally ill patients can place their beloved and run errands or enjoy some much-needed time off. Find out more  here. Klub svobodných matek charity collection  The club of single mothers needed help with collecting clothes and accessories for their client mothers and their children, as they had a huge influx of Ukrainian families in their organization. I want to thank our wonderful colleagues for collecting the mountain of items in the picture with me for scale.  The organization provide single-parent families with financial, material and professional legal assistance, as well as finances to ensure food and housing costs. They also pay for children's lunches in kindergartens and schools, summer camps and Christmas gifts.  Find out more  here. Vesna charity collection  If Purple Foundation organizes an event, you can be sure it has charitable intentions! After our clothes SWAP 2022 where we traded clothes, shoes & accessories over cookies and bábovka, we packed all the unchosen items up and brought them to Spolek Vesna who then sent it to Ukrainian women fleeing the war. The same thing will be done after our Purple SWAP 2023 we will make our wallets and planet Earth happy and send all the unhoused clothes to someone in need. Find out more  here . Sant Egidio charity collection  As is our yearly tradition, the Purple group have joined forces and supported Sant Egidio Community who are collecting  necessary items for homeless people, such as tinned food, hygiene items, clothes, sleeping bags, duvets, etc. This year we saw a rise of donated formal wear and bags - it is important for the people who are planning to attend interviews! Did you know that the most needed yet least donated thing in charity collections are socks?  Find out more  here . AND, OF COURSE, A HUGE THANK YOU! To our amazing Purple team. Without their hard work and dedication they show every day, none of this would be even remotely possible.  Let´s see what 2023 brings! Love,  Your Purple Foundation team D + F + J +K

In our new column, we are celebrating the unsung heroes – people in our surroundings that do good and help out without expecting anything in return. In my short four years in Purple Foundation, I have met a huge number of them – be it someone who puts effort into recycling even though no one around does; or someone who regularly donates their clothes to people in need without giving it a second thought.  In this series, I want to introduce my personal heroes who deserve recognition and inspire you to do right by the world, even though it sometimes feels like our efforts might not make even the smallest difference. Believe me, they all do. Happy reading! Roman Pupkov is our Purple colleague from Ukraine and a wonderful human being, as well as a great example of the fact that one can help in so many ways, if we only put our mind to it. Being an avid football player, Roman decided to help ease the burden and stress of the war in Ukraine of more than 22 children and started an afternoon football group for Ukrainian boys and girls aged 6-16 in Prague - Letná. The boys are meeting once a week and as far as I know, the football club is getting popular and more and more children are joining!  Roman took it upon himself not only to organize this club, but finance it as well. Everything from stadium rental fees to equipment and jerseys - not an easy task at all, if you ask me, but he does it all in a nonchalant way and with the widest smile on his face that we all love so much. Roman, thank you for being so amazing and making these kids focus on something enjoyable when everything around them feels wobbly and uncertain. If you wish to find out more about Roman’s football club or support him, find all the information here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3107499002857064 .