Welfare Associations

"Freie Wohlfahrtspflege" is the totality of all forms of social support provided in the Federal Republic of Germany on a non-satutory, non-profit-making basis. "Freie Wohlfahrtspflege" is distinguished from commercial, profit-oriented services on the one hand and from the state-run services of public-sector agencies on the other
the non-statutory welfare associations have combined from six central national organizations:

1. Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO)
2. Deutscher Caritasverband (DCV)
3. Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband (Parität)
4. Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (DRK)
5. Diakonisches Werk der EKD (DW)
6. Zentralwohlfahrtsstelle der Juden in Deutschland (ZWST)

the non-statutory welfare associations are marked by different socio-political outlooks, religious motivations and objects. Common to all of them is that their efforts draw directly on people´s willingness to help and on public solidarity. The kindle and encourage such forces in society and facilitate their development through targeted and coordinated activities.