Amsterdam, 10 October 2023 - Adventure, fun and quality-time. Going on holiday is a highlight of the year for many families. The same goes for school camp; children look forward to it all year. But for families with money problems, such activities are not a given. Hostel chain Stayokay started Stay4all in 2012, to allow children to still go on school camp when parents could not afford it. Since then, more than 1,600 children have gone on school camp. Now, more than 10 years later, the Stay4all Foundation has been established and has been granted ANBI status. In the coming years, too, continued attention is needed for children in poverty in the Netherlands, which is why the foundation is now also committed to helping families in poverty by offering them a short holiday.
With a pilot that started last year, Stayokay has already hosted 40 families through the Stay4all Foundation. The aim is to host a total of 60 families this year and grow this number annually, now that the foundation is official.
Marijke Schreiner, general manager of Stayokay and chairman of the Stay4all Foundation board says:
Since 1929, we have welcomed Dutch and international guests and thousands of school children every year in our hostels across the country. Our goal has always been to let people explore every corner of the Netherlands in an affordable way. But even so, not everyone has the means to do so. In the Netherlands, over 250,000 children grow up in poverty. Escaping from the bubble of busyness, stress and worries at home can be very liberating. We are glad that we can ensure in this way that those who normally cannot afford it can now take some time out of their homes with their own families to rest and relax. We also hope to contribute to reducing inequality in the Netherlands, and above all to give the families a nice time.
Donations from companies and guests
The Stay4all Foundation receives support in various ways. Stayokay donates overnight stays and food & drinks to the Stay4all Foundation for families and school children. Companies that hold meetings at Stayokay automatically support the foundation by donating one euro per meeting package. Members with a Stayokay card do so at two euros per card. Finally, anyone staying overnight at Stayokay can make an immediate contribution to the foundation when making a booking.
Collaboration with LINDA.foundation
The Stay4all Foundation offers each family a stay of two nights with food and drinks at one of the Stayokay hostels. Transport to and from the hostel and a fun outing for the family are also arranged. For the selection of the families, there is collaboration with the LINDA.foundation and social workers, among others, who suggest families.
Note to editors (not for publication)
For more information, footage or an interview request, please contact:
TEAM LEWIS
Vivianne Eckl and Noa van den Berg
Telephone: +31 20 220 0220
E-mail: stayokay@teamlewis.com
www.teamlewis.com/nl
