Egmont continues its efforts for children and youth living in poverty
Egmont works to ensure that children and youth in poverty must have fewer deprivations and improved opportunities to thrive, learn, and be part of the community – within their families, schools, and leisure activities. Therefore, the Egmont Foundation is supporting children and youth in poverty in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway with DKK 52.2 million through the programme “A Helping Hand” in the period 2026–2029.
Financial support for leisure activities, birthday celebrations, holidays, a new school bag or books for school. These are just some of the things that children and youth at risk can receive through Egmont’s programme “A Helping Hand”, which is distributed through a number of partner organisations. Since 1920, Egmont has supported children and families living in poverty, and this work continues with a new grant of DKK 52.2 in total.
“Growing up in poverty can leave deep and long-lasting marks. That is why we work to alleviate children’s material deprivation and to ensure that children living in poverty have better opportunities to be part of strong communities. We are pleased with the strong collaboration with the organisations that distribute the support and carry out an important daily effort for children and youth at risk.” says Heidi Sørensen, Director of Egmont Grant Administration.
Many children and young people living in poverty experience being excluded from important social communities and have lower levels of well-being than other children. They achieve lower grades in school and fewer go on to upper secondary education. Studies from Egmont Insight show that many children in poverty must go without meals, necessary medication or appropriate clothing. And when families are forced to prioritise basic needs, it can affect children’s access to leisure activities and their opportunities to be part of communities with other children and young people.
Through “A Helping Hand”, children and youth at risk can receive support for everything from leisure activities to a year at a Danish residential school and school equipment.
“A Helping Hand” is distributed through a number of partner organisations that are in direct contact with families, children and youth living with deprivation in their daily lives. These organisations are able to combine immediate financial support with longer-term efforts for families and children, as they often have a deep understanding of the families.
This is what A Helping Hans supports:
Dansk Røde Kors (Danish Red Cross) (DKK 12.4 million)
Financial support is provided to families in vulnerable situations who participate in Danish Red Cross activities. The support helps cover costs such as leisure activities, children’s birthdays, and participation in school and holiday camps. Support is also provided to young refugees who have arrived in Denmark unaccompanied.
Read more about the Danish Red Cross’ efforts through A Helping Hand here: https://www.rodekors.dk/en-haandsraekning
Mødrehjælpen (Mother’s aid) (DKK 4.6 million)
Pregnant women or parents of young children can receive financial support from Mødrehjælpen if they have participated in a counselling programme and if the family has a particular need for support. The support may, for example, go towards baby equipment or a leisure activity for the child. Mødrehjælpen administers the distribution, and it is not possible to apply directly.
Read more about Mødrehjælpen’s efforts through A Helping Hand here: https://moedrehjaelpen.dk/forside/det-goer-vi/radgivning/en-haandsraekning/
Børnehjælpsdagen (The Children's Aid Day) (DKK 7 million)
Children and young people placed in care can receive support through Børnehjælpsdagen’s IT Fund for Children to obtain a computer for school use if the municipality has rejected their application. They can also receive support to fulfil a personal dream through the Dream Bank.
Read more about the IT Fund for Children here:
https://www.bhd.dk/boernehjaelpsdagens-arbejde/boernenes-it-fond/
Read more about the Dream Bank here:
https://www.bhd.dk/vores-arbejde/droemmebanken/
Efterskoleforeningen (The Danish Residential School Association) (DKK 5 million)
Efterskoleforeningen provides financial support of up to DKK 30,000 for a stay at a Danish residential school (efterskole), if the family’s total annual income is up to DKK 275,000 before tax. Young people assessed to have a particular need for a residential school stay due to learning difficulties or challenges in school and/or family life are prioritised.
Read more at Efterskoleforeningen here: https://www.efterskolerne.dk/Pris/Saerlige_muligheder_for_okonomiske_stotte
Fonden for Socialt Ansvar (The Foundation for Social Responsibility) (DKK 5 million)
Financial support is provided to families participating in Bydelsmødre or Baba initiatives through the Foundation for Social Responsibility, for example for equipment for leisure activities, school trips, and school supplies.
Read more about the Foundation for Social Responsibility’s support here: https://socialtansvar.dk/indsats/en-haandsraekning/
Dansk Folkehjælp (Danish People’s Aid) (DKK 10 million)
Danish People’s Aid provides financial support to families living in poverty, for example for Christmas aid, confirmations, family activities, and school start. The support is often combined with more long-term initiatives through family networks.
Read more about the support from Danish People’s aid here: https://ansogning.folkehjaelp.dk/
Sveriges Stadsmissioner (Sweden’s City Missions) (DKK 4.6 million)
Financial support is expected to be provided to up to 11,700 children in vulnerable situations in Sweden during the period. The support is distributed by the city missions in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Skåne, Östergötland, Uppsala, and Örebro, and covers, for example, Christmas aid, summer activities, and clothing and equipment for the start of the school year. The direct financial support is combined with longer-term efforts to strengthen children’s wellbeing and opportunities for social inclusion.
Read more about Sweden’s City Missions here: https://sverigesstadsmissioner.se/)
Norwegian partner
We are looking into finding a Norwegian partner.
A key cause in the Egmont Foundation’s DNA
Egmont is an enterprise foundation, and part of Egmont’s profits is used to support children and youth at risk in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. We work to ensure that children and young people living in poverty can thrive, learn, and be part of a community. At home, in school, and in their free time. We work to mitigate the negative consequences of growing up in poverty.
For more information:
Head of Communications and Press, Tine Pind Jørum, tel. 2711 6896.