LICHT
INS DUNKEL

LICHT INS DUNKEL - the name literally translated stands for “light into darkness”- is a well-established and highly recognized charity organization in Austria that primarily raises money for people with a disability, putting the main focus on helping children. Furthermore, it financially supports people with a specially created emergency fund that helps families in need in a fast and efficient way.

LICHT INS DUNKEL was founded on December 24th 1973 by a Radio Station of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF). Ever since then, a national fundraising is running each year in radio and television, especially on Christmas. On December 24th the channel ORF2 is dedicated all day long to LICHT INS DUNKEL. Together with numerous guests and stars LICHT INS DUNKEL tries to collect as much money as possible and to bring the Christmas spirit into the homes of everyone.

The Austrian Public Broadcasting company supports the association throughout the year. The idea is to propagate the interest of the association and to show the projects which received financial aid to the people in need. National radio and television stations as well as newspapers support the initiative with special fundraising campaigns. Besides the fundraising the association in cooperation with the ORF has also launched media campaigns to raise awareness of the day to day problems and barriers of people with a disability within the Austrian society.

Large Companies support the activities with sponsoring whereas in every federal state numerous charity events take place to collect abundantly.

Each year up to 400 projects are funded with these donations in specific areas, such as medical care and therapy, education and training as well as living and inclusion. Emergency aid funds provide immediate and unbureaucratic assistance to more than 5000 families and their children in Austria, who have fallen on hard times due to dramatic circumstances.

The fundraising organisation of LICHT INS DUNKEL works throughout the year. However, the peak period is the time around Christmas where numerous charity events take place. The Austrian Federal President Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen acts as the patron of the charity initiative, Eva Radinger is the Managing Director and the organization is headed by Kurt Nekula.

Transparency is one of the top priorities of the association. Therefore an audit firm screens, controls and takes care of both the whole fundraising process as well as the distribution of the donations. The association publishes a yearly report that states all the numbers and facts.

On behalf of the children and their families, LICHT INS DUNKEL would like to thank all business partners and sponsors as well as all donators who guarantee the continued success of LICHT INS DUNKEL.

For more information, please visit lichtinsdunkel.ORF.at