Six organisations from South Holland have a chance to win an Appeltje van Oranje. The Oranje Fonds awards this prize every year to three social organisations making a significant positive impact.
The candidates this year are Stichting MidWest, Voedselbank Rotterdam, CulturA & Zo, Straat Consulaat, Stichting Leontienhuis and the Verbindingskamer.
These initiatives were selected from 348 entries and are among the final fifty, with the remainder being in other provinces throughout the Netherlands.
A ten-day voting period and pitch day determine which ten initiatives will win a finalist nomination. Queen Máxima will award the three Appeltjes van Oranje on 9 October at Paleis Noordeinde.
Indispensable links
The theme of this edition of the Appeltjes van Oranje is Indispensable Links. Organisations that are indispensable in their village, district, city or neighbourhood could register themselves until 23 February. The Oranje Fonds is looking for organisations that see where there are gaps, that something is missing in the environment and that provide a solution. That is why they are indispensable; indispensable for those they support, but also indispensable for the governments and partners they work with. With their approach, they build a bridge between the municipality, (care) institutions, other volunteer organisations and the people who need their support, which allows them to have more impact.
Voting Days and Pitch Day
The ten-day voting period will take place from 19 to 28 May. Everyone can vote once for one of the fifty candidates via the special voting website. The organisation with the most votes will receive the first nomination. The other candidates will present themselves to each other and to a jury in June. The jury will ultimately decide which nine organisations will receive a nomination.
Appeltjes van Oranje (The Apples of Orange)
The Oranje Fonds awards the Appeltjes van Oranje, the prize for initiatives that matter, annually. The prize rewards three initiatives that are committed to an inclusive, involved society. Initiatives that are unique, creative and meaningful and have been active for at least two years are eligible. An Appeltje van Oranje shows the organization appreciation for their work and dedication. The theme of the Appeltjes changes every year.
The prize consists of a bronze statue designed and made by Princess Beatrix and a sum of 25,000 euros. This money can be spent freely within the objective of the winning initiative. Every year, Queen Máxima presents the three Appeltjes van Oranje at Paleis Noordeinde. More information: www.appeltjevanoranje.nl (in Dutch)
The Oranje Fonds believes that everyone matters. That is why it is committed to a society in which everyone can participate and no one is left to fend for themselves. In other words, an involved society; in which we care for each other, people have equal opportunities and feel connected to others in the neighbourhood. The fund does this by strengthening and connecting social entrepreneurs where possible. The support of the National Postcode Lottery, the Dutch Lottery, Friends and various other partners makes this possible. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima are the patron couple of the Oranje Fonds.
Image credit: © Patrick van Katwijk for Oranje Fonds
Text provided by Oranje Fonds, translation The Hague Online