50 years of family care station: A strong chain link for Unterallgäu!

50 years of family care station: A strong chain link for Unterallgäu!

November 15, 2025 was a very special day for the Unterallgäu family nursing station, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in the parish of St. Stephan in Mindelheim. Numerous guests gathered for the celebration, including the third mayor of Mindelheim, Roland Peter, and District Administrator Alex Eder. The parish hall was filled to capacity with companions, employees and official guests who celebrated the development of the facility. Nils Schad provided the musical accompaniment with a small line-up of the “Frisch Streiched” orchestra, which created the right atmosphere and lightened up the celebrations.

In his speech, Chaplain Markus Kraus looked back on the founding of the family care organization five decades ago and recalled the beginnings of the important social institution. District Administrator Alex Eder compared life to a chain carousel and paid homage to the family care organization as a strong chain link in our society. Thanks to his consistent commitment, the family care station has continuously developed over the years.

development and meaning

The family care station was founded in 1975, and in 1983 the Catholic German Women's Association (KDFB) took over the sponsorship. Since then, the facility has become the Unterallgäu family care facility. V., which today employs 19 dedicated family carers who are supported by all municipalities and the district. Roswitha Hupfer-Müller, the director of the facility, emphasized the great importance of discretion and confidentiality in the work of the family care station.

In recent years, the family care organization has also become financially more professional: former volunteer family caregivers now receive standard salaries, which makes the employment a reliable profession. Managing director Stefan Galgon reported on the further development into a non-profit GmbH and the agreement on remuneration with health insurance companies, which enables the valuable work to be continued even more effectively.

A reliable anchor in society

The anniversary was duly celebrated, underlining the role of the family care unit as an important anchor in society. The celebrations were characterized by memories, music and grateful words from everyone involved. At a time when social services are becoming increasingly important, support and commitment to family care is essential. Charitable organizations such as the family care organization are important pillars of our social system, as Statista highlights. In Germany they play a central role in supporting people in need, be it due to illness, poverty or hunger.

The importance of such institutions is also financed by donations and grants, often from private individuals, companies and foundations. It is a fact that around 5 billion euros in private donations were made in Germany in 2023, a large part of which goes to humanitarian aid. Figures like these clearly show how essential commitment to social causes is and why we overall need a good hand in supporting facilities such as the family care station.

The Unterallgäu family care station is therefore looking optimistically into the future, determined to continue its valuable work and remain a strong link in society. Here’s to the next 50 years!