BGL BNP Paribas Donates €30k to Caritas Corona-Helpline

As part of its “Coronavirus Solidarity” initiative, BGL BNP Paribas awarded a cheque for €30,000 to Caritas Luxembourg last week at the bank’s headquarters.

In the presence of Romain Girst, Head of Retail Banking at BGL BNP Paribas, and Cyrielle Piezanowski, Head of Operational Marketing, the bank presented the cheque to Marie-Josée Jacobs, President of Caritas Luxembourg, and Caroline Theves, Head of Donations and Legacies.

Caritas Luxembourg promotes social inclusion in Luxembourg and around the world. Supporting vulnerable people is its primary concern: single-parent families, children and young people, migrants and refugees, disadvantaged or homeless people or those with precarious housing or income, as well as individuals who find themselves temporarily unable to cope with life. The organisation set up the Caritas Corona-Helpline to provide social support to people who, as a result of the crisis, are struggling to pay for shopping, rent or bills and feel alone in dealing with these problems.

As a socially engaged bank, BGL BNP Paribas launched the “Coronavirus Solidarity” initiative to help those facing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis and finding it hard to pay their bills or make everyday purchases. Every time a payment was made using a BGL BNP Paribas credit card, the bank contributed 10 cents to a fund. The funds raised meant that €30,000 could be donated to Caritas Luxembourg for their Corona-Helpline.

Romain Girst, Head of Retail Banking at BGL BNP Paribas, commented: “This crisis affects us all. For some people, the crisis has caused major financial hardship. With this in mind, we decided to launch the ‘Coronavirus Solidarity’ initiative and support Caritas Luxembourg in its efforts to help the most vulnerable members of society. Some of the amount raised through this initiative will be used by the bank to cover the housing costs of our clients facing financial hardship by helping with their monthly mortgage repayments. This solidarity initiative is the latest in a series of measures taken to support those in need since the start of the health crisis”.

Marie-Josée Jacobs, President of Caritas Luxembourg, added: “Throughout this health crisis and beyond, when the economic impacts begin to emerge, Caritas Luxembourg will continue to support those who are disadvantaged and will bear the brunt of this pandemic. Many people have already been unable to pay rent or left homeless. We are delighted to be able to rely on a partner like BGL BNP Paribas, which, through its unique campaign, is helping us to support those in need".