News & Updates

Book Donation Drive Collects 3,200 Books for Program Libraries

Our autumn book drive exceeded all expectations this year, collecting over 3,200 books from generous donors across Warsaw and the surrounding region. The campaign ran throughout September, with drop-off points at 18 schools, libraries, community centres, and partner businesses — the widest network we have ever organised for a single drive.

The books span a broad range of genres, age groups, and reading levels, from picture books for the youngest children in our programmes to young-adult novels and non-fiction titles for teenagers in the Youth Mentorship cohort. A dedicated team of 40 volunteers spent two weekends sorting, cataloguing, and transporting donations to our five Read Together lending libraries across the metropolitan area.

Programme coordinator Agnieszka W. said: "We were genuinely moved by the response. Some families donated entire collections that had been sitting in storage for years. Every one of those books will now be read, loved, and passed on again."

The stocked libraries will serve participants throughout the full school year. Any titles not immediately needed have been stored in our reserve collection for future programme expansion. We extend our deepest thanks to every individual, school, and organisation that took part. Your generosity directly fuels children's love of reading.

Volunteer Appreciation Evening Honors 15 Long-Serving Members

On the evening of 18 October 2024, FUNDACJA IMIENIA PROF. DR. HAB. KAZIMIERZA PAJĄKA hosted its annual Volunteer Appreciation Evening at the Warsaw Cultural Centre — an occasion to pause, reflect, and say a heartfelt thank you to the people who make our work possible every single day.

This year's ceremony placed special focus on 15 outstanding volunteers who have each contributed more than three consecutive years of service to our programmes. Together, these individuals have donated an estimated 4,800 hours of their time — hours spent tutoring children, distributing aid packages, mentoring young people, and supporting families in crisis.

Each honouree received a personalised certificate, a handwritten letter from Foundation Director Irena Pajak, and a small gift created by the children in our Read Together programme. The evening also featured short speeches from several beneficiaries who spoke about the direct impact volunteers had made in their lives — moments that left few dry eyes in the room.

Foundation Director Irena Pajak addressed the gathering: "FUNDACJA IMIENIA PROF. DR. HAB. KAZIMIERZA PAJĄKA is not a building, a budget, or a set of programmes. It is the people in this room — your time, your compassion, and your belief that things can be better. We are nothing without you."

We are currently welcoming new volunteers for the winter season. If you would like to join our community, visit our Get Involved page to learn more.

FUNDACJA IMIENIA PROF. DR. HAB. KAZIMIERZA PAJĄKA Receives EU Social Fund Grant

We are proud to announce that FUNDACJA IMIENIA PROF. DR. HAB. KAZIMIERZA PAJĄKA has been awarded a significant grant from the European Social Fund (ESF) under the 2021–2027 programming period. The funding will support the expansion of our Family Support Network into two new regions — Łódź and Kraków — during 2025, bringing structured social assistance to hundreds of additional families.

The application process was rigorous, requiring detailed evidence of our programme outcomes, financial management practices, and community impact over the past five years. The successful award reflects the quality of work our team and volunteers deliver every day, and the trust that European institutions place in civil-society organisations operating at the grassroots level.

The grant will fund three full-time social support coordinators, a dedicated family counselling service, and a series of community integration workshops in each new region. We expect to begin operations in Łódź in February 2025 and in Kraków by April 2025.

Deputy Director Marek S. commented: "This is a transformational moment for us. Expanding beyond Warsaw has been our ambition for three years. The ESF grant makes it not just possible, but sustainable. We are committed to delivering results that justify the trust placed in us."

Further updates on the regional expansion will be published here as the programme launches. We thank the European Social Fund and our national programme partners for this opportunity to grow our impact.

2024 Annual Report: A Year of Growth and Resilience

FUNDACJA IMIENIA PROF. DR. HAB. KAZIMIERZA PAJĄKA's 2024 Annual Report is now available, and the numbers tell a story of extraordinary growth, resilience, and deepening community impact. This year we reached 2,417 direct beneficiaries — a 14% increase on 2023 — while maintaining our strict overhead ratio of under 15%, ensuring that the vast majority of every donated złoty reaches the people who need it most.

Programme highlights from 2024:

Read Together: 847 children participated in literacy activities across 12 locations, with an average reading-level improvement of 1.8 school years measured over a six-month engagement period.

Family Support Network: 312 families received structured social assistance, including emergency food aid, housing guidance, and access to legal advice. 94% of surveyed families reported feeling better equipped to manage their situation after six months of support.

Youth Mentorship: 156 young people aged 13–19 were matched with professional mentors. 89% of participants who completed the full programme reported improved confidence and clearer educational or career goals.

Volunteer Corps: 324 active volunteers contributed a combined 11,200 hours of service — the highest total in our history.

The full report, including audited financial statements, is available upon request. Please contact us at irena@fundacjapajaka.info or visit our Contact page.

Annual Cultural Festival Draws Over 500 Visitors

On 11 January 2025, FUNDACJA IMIENIA PROF. DR. HAB. KAZIMIERZA PAJĄKA hosted its fourth Annual Cultural Festival at the Praga District Community Hall in Warsaw. The event welcomed over 500 visitors across a full day of music, craft workshops, traditional food, storytelling, and performances — the largest attendance in the festival's history.

The programme opened with a traditional Polish folk music concert performed by young musicians from our Cultural Exchange programme, followed by a series of craft workshops where families could try their hand at traditional weaving, pottery, and paper cutting (wycinanki). A dedicated children's area featured interactive storytelling sessions led by volunteer educators from our Read Together programme.

This year's festival placed particular emphasis on cultural exchange, with a special exhibition showcasing contributions from partner communities in Germany, Ukraine, and Lithuania. Visitors were invited to explore the traditions, foods, and art forms of each country through interactive displays and live demonstrations.

Programme lead Zofia K. reflected: "Culture is how communities remember who they are and imagine who they can become. When we bring people together around shared stories and traditions — whether Polish or from across Europe — we strengthen the social fabric that holds us all."

Planning for the fifth annual festival in January 2026 is already underway. If your organisation or community group would like to participate as a partner, please reach out via our Contact page.

Youth Mentorship Program Opens Applications for 2025 Cohort

Applications are now open for the 2025 cohort of the FUNDACJA IMIENIA PROF. DR. HAB. KAZIMIERZA PAJĄKA Youth Mentorship Program — one of our flagship initiatives supporting young people aged 13–19 in building confidence, skills, and a vision for their future.

The programme matches each young participant with a professional mentor from a relevant field — education, business, the arts, technology, social work, or public service — for a structured six-month engagement. Pairs meet bi-weekly for guided conversations, goal-setting sessions, and practical activities tailored to each participant's interests and aspirations.

We are looking for two groups of applicants:

Young participants (aged 13–19): You do not need any special qualifications or background. We welcome young people from all circumstances, particularly those who feel uncertain about their future or who lack access to professional role models in their immediate environment.

Volunteer mentors (professionals of any age): You need a minimum of three years of professional experience in any field, a genuine interest in supporting young people, and the ability to commit approximately four hours per month for six months. Full training and ongoing support are provided.

The application deadline for the 2025 cohort is 28 February 2025. The programme begins in April. To apply or learn more, visit our Get Involved page or contact us directly at irena@fundacjapajaka.info.

50 New Volunteers Complete Spring Training Program

FUNDACJA IMIENIA PROF. DR. HAB. KAZIMIERZA PAJĄKA welcomed its largest-ever single volunteer intake this March, with 50 new volunteers successfully completing our three-day comprehensive onboarding and training programme. The group — drawn from universities, local businesses, and the wider community — represents a diverse mix of ages, professional backgrounds, and skills.

The training programme covered the foundation's history, values, and safeguarding policies; practical skills for each of our five programme areas; communication and conflict-resolution techniques; and a full day of supervised field practice alongside experienced volunteers. Participants also completed mandatory child-protection and data-privacy modules.

Training coordinator Bartosz N. said: "This cohort arrived with exceptional enthusiasm and left with the knowledge and confidence to make an immediate difference. Within a week of completing training, we already had all 50 placed and active across our programmes."

The new volunteers are now working across Read Together, Family Support, Youth Mentorship, the Volunteer Corps, and our Cultural Exchange programme. Their arrival significantly increases our capacity heading into the busy spring and summer season.

We recruit volunteers twice a year — in spring and autumn. If you are interested in joining, please visit our Get Involved page to register your interest for the next intake.

FUNDACJA IMIENIA PROF. DR. HAB. KAZIMIERZA PAJĄKA Signs New Partnership with Warsaw University

On 3 April 2025, FUNDACJA IMIENIA PROF. DR. HAB. KAZIMIERZA PAJĄKA and the University of Warsaw signed a formal cooperation agreement that will integrate university students into our Youth Mentorship Program as trained peer mentors. The partnership is the first of its kind for the foundation and marks a significant step in expanding our mentorship capacity.

Under the agreement, the University's Faculty of Education and Faculty of Psychology will provide a pool of volunteer students — primarily those in their third year or above — who wish to gain practical experience working with young people. FUNDACJA IMIENIA PROF. DR. HAB. KAZIMIERZA PAJĄKA will provide full training, supervision, and structured mentorship frameworks. Students may also count their participation toward voluntary community-service credits recognised by the University.

The partnership is expected to add up to 30 additional peer-mentor places to the 2025 cohort, allowing us to accept more young participants from our waiting list — a list that has grown steadily as demand for the programme has outpaced our previous capacity.

Professor Anna W. from the Faculty of Education commented: "This is exactly the kind of real-world, values-driven experience we want our students to have. Working with Fundacja Pajaka gives them skills no lecture hall can fully teach — empathy, patience, and the ability to genuinely listen."

Foundation Director Irena Pajak added: "We are deeply grateful to the University of Warsaw for this partnership. It reflects a shared belief that education is not only about acquiring knowledge — it is about building the capacity to care for one another."

Spring Aid Drive Delivers 400 Packages to Families in Need

Our 2025 Spring Aid Drive has concluded, and the results surpassed every previous year. Over the course of four weeks in May, our volunteer teams assembled and distributed 400 food and essential-supply packages to families across three regions: Warsaw, Łódź, and — for the first time — Kraków, reflecting our recent expansion supported by the EU Social Fund grant.

Each package contained a two-week supply of non-perishable food staples, hygiene products, and a personalised note from the volunteers who prepared it. Families were identified through our Family Support Network coordinators, partner social services, and direct referrals from schools and community health workers.

The drive was made possible by donations from 214 individual supporters, six corporate partners, and three municipal food banks who contributed surplus stock. A team of 68 volunteers gave their time over two weekends to sort, pack, and deliver every package.

Family Support coordinator Ewa M. shared: "For many of the families we reached, this package arrived at a genuinely critical moment — after job loss, a health crisis, or a difficult winter. It is not just food. It is a message that someone sees them and cares."

If you would like to support future aid drives through a donation or as a volunteer, please visit our Donate page or Get Involved.

Read Together Summer Camp Reaches Record Enrollment

This summer's Read Together literacy camp welcomed over 180 children — the highest enrollment since the programme launched in 2012. Held across four locations in the Warsaw metropolitan area, the two-week camp offered daily reading sessions, storytelling workshops, creative writing activities, and visits from local authors who shared their love of books with young readers.

The camp ran from 2 to 13 June at venues in Praga, Mokotów, Wola, and Ursynów, each hosting between 40 and 50 children aged 6–14. Morning sessions focused on guided reading in small groups of five to eight children, allowing volunteers to tailor the pace and material to each child's level. Afternoons were dedicated to creative activities — illustrating favourite scenes, writing short stories, and performing dramatic readings for their peers.

A highlight of this year's programme was the Author Visit series, in which five Polish children's authors spent a morning at one of the camp locations, reading from their work, answering questions, and signing copies for participants. Several authors donated additional books to our lending libraries.

Volunteers reported outstanding enthusiasm from participants, with many children borrowing multiple books to take home at the end of each week. Lead volunteer coordinator Marta R. said: "The energy in the room was unlike anything I've seen before. These kids were genuinely excited to read — not because they had to, but because they wanted to. That is everything we work for."

Preliminary assessments suggest that participants who attended at least eight of the ten camp days showed measurable improvements in reading fluency and comprehension. Full outcome data will be included in our mid-year programme report, to be published in August 2025.

Planning for the summer 2026 camp is already underway. To support this programme through a donation, visit our Donate page.