Stek, the Stichting voor Stad en Kerk, won an Appeltje van Oranje on Thursday 8 October for its Buurt & Lukas project.
Queen Máxima presented the award at Noordeinde Palace, where this year’s theme was breaking poverty together.
The Oranje Fonds, which runs the awards, chose organisations showing that poverty is about far more than a lack of money, because it also affects health, opportunities and the feeling of belonging.
What the winning project does
Buurt & Lukas works at the edge of the Schilderswijk and offers a drop-in advice hour and group services, with the emphasis on bringing people from different backgrounds together.
Project leader Esther Israël says people come in for a coffee, an activity or a conversation, and that trust grows from there until problems can be talked about and solutions found.
Stek has 50 staff and 700 volunteers and helps people regardless of faith, gender, sexuality, background, nationality or political belief.
The prize and the other winners
Director Derk Stegeman described the award as recognition of work done with great care and as encouragement to keep going.
The Queen told the team they are the eyes and ears of the neighbourhood, the familiar face who takes the time to listen and who builds a bridge to practical help.
The prize is a bronze statuette designed by Princess Beatrix plus 25,000 euros, and the other winners this year were Stichting Doors Wide Open and Mega D Youth Foundation.
