Around 1. FC Union Berlin's men's home game against SC Freiburg on 8 November 2024, there was time again this year for the ‘Winter, mollig, warm’ (winter cosy and warm) campaign.

This is the call for donations of clothes and other items for homeless people, an initiative of the fan and member department of 1. FC Union Berlin, together with the foundation ‘UNION VEREINT. Schulter an Schulter’ and Union's Wirtschaftsrat.

We were overwhelmed by the response, and can gladly look back on a huge success again in 2024.

The Social Affairs working group of the fan and member department first organised donations for those affected by the winter over three days, before, with the enormous support of many members from various Union fan clubs, they sorted and packed them. Donations included:

• 766 jumpers
• 438 pairs of socks
• 371 T-shirts
• 356 jackets
• 267 pairs of trousers
• 147 pairs of shorts/long johns
• 138 caps
• 96 undershirts
• 74 pairs of shoes
• 72 sweatpants
• 25 vests
• 90 shirts
• 81 scarves
• 80 pairs of gloves
• 41 sleeping bags
• 23 blankets
• 23 camping mats
• 16 mobile phones
• 14 belts
• 12 backpacks
• 8 towels
• A wide range of hygiene products

In the past few days, the donations have been delivered to the institutions responsible for the needy: Franklinstraße emergency overnight shelter, Ohlauer Straße emergency overnight shelter, GEBEWO pro gGmbH practice for homeless and needy people, Straßenfeger, Strohhalm meeting place, Franziskaner Monastery, Unter Druck – Kultur von der Straße e.V., Kälteschutz im Mehringhof, a daytime meeting point for homeless and needy people on Weitlingstraße, Sunshinehouse Beherbungsbetrieb GmbH on Saalestraße, Männerobdach Plus on Rembrandtstraße, Berliner Obdachlosenhilfe e.V. and Gangway Straßensozialarbeit in Berlin.

In addition to the donations, €889.72 was collected. Donations were mainly made by Union fans who were unable to deliver anything.

A big thank you to everyone, it encourages us to definitely repeat the collection next year!