{"id":55382,"date":"2025-07-07T11:21:22","date_gmt":"2025-07-07T10:21:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ufb.be\/beneficiary\/wijkcentrum-de-kring-minibus\/"},"modified":"2025-07-11T10:46:21","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T09:46:21","slug":"wijkcentrum-de-kring-minibus","status":"publish","type":"beneficiary","link":"https:\/\/ufb.be\/en\/beneficiary\/wijkcentrum-de-kring-minibus\/","title":{"rendered":"Driving Inclusion Forward: A New Minibus for Wijkcentrum De Kring"},"content":{"rendered":"

In Eeklo, a new vehicle helps bring vital services to people facing poverty<\/h2>\n

Located in the heart of Eeklo on the De Zuidkaai welfare campus, Wijkcentrum De Kring<\/i> is a community centre that offers a warm, inclusive space for everyone, with a particular focus on individuals experiencing poverty or social exclusion. The centre provides accessible services to support basic needs and organizes a wide range of activities for children, youth, adults, and families. These include digital assistance, social gatherings, creative workshops, and outings, all aimed at fostering connection and empowerment. As a member of the Netwerk tegen Armoede<\/i>, De Kring<\/i> actively works to combat the root causes of poverty and social isolation through advocacy, education, and collaboration.<\/p>\n

Each year, De Kring<\/i> supports approximately 1,500 individuals, offering them not just services but also a sense of community and belonging. Learn more about Wijkcentrum De Kring<\/a><\/p>\n

Expanding Reach with a New Minibus<\/h3>\n

To enhance its outreach and better serve the community, Wijkcentrum De Kring<\/i> identified the need for a new minibus. This vehicle is essential for transporting individuals to and from the centre, especially those with mobility challenges or limited access to public transportation. The minibus also facilitates group outings and participation in external activities, which are crucial for social integration and personal development.<\/p>\n

In addition to these social and mobility functions, the minibus plays a key logistical role in supporting one of De Kring\u2019s<\/em> most impactful services: the Social Grocery Store. This vital initiative relies on the minibus for tasks such as picking up food from the food bank, shopping at supermarkets, and delivering food parcels to those who cannot visit in person. Every week, around 400 families in Meetjesland come to shop at the store at discounted prices. But beyond savings on groceries, the store offers something equally important: a warm, welcoming space where people can connect over a cup of coffee, enjoy a friendly chat, and feel a sense of dignity and community.<\/p>\n

United Fund for Belgium (UFB) supported this initiative by providing funding for the purchase of the minibus. This contribution enables De Kring<\/i> to extend its services beyond the centre’s walls, reaching more people in need and ensuring they can participate fully in community life.<\/p>\n

“With our minibus, we go on outings together, drive to other activities, and discover our surroundings. The minibus literally brings people together, connects people, takes people somewhere else, broadens their world, etc. Hundreds of visitors and participants from Meetjesland will one day become passengers on the minibus.”<\/p>\n