News & Insights
Supporting De Regenboog Groep to reduce poverty & homelessness in Amsterdam
Mercury is a proud supporter of De Regenboog Groep (The Rainbow Group), a non-profit charity based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. De Regenboog Groep provides care for homeless people, along with aid for former addicts and those living in poverty or social isolation.
Founded over 40 years ago, when Reverend Wouters found himself caring for homeless addicts in Vondel Park, Amsterdam. This Non-Government-Organization (NGO) has grown considerably over the years and is committed to supporting the wellbeing of marginalised people, while offering care programmes that benefit the most vulnerable people in the city.
Initiatives include walk-in homes, where homeless people can avail of food, advice, and company, while lonely individuals are invited to join others for a cup of tea, and social interaction. The group also runs a community restaurant, which provides a low-cost, three-course meal for those who need to avail of it.
Various volunteering activities are available for those who would like to get involved and these opportunities include a buddy system for those in a need, a meal delivery service throughout the city, cleaning support, community farm work, temporary fostering of pets, coaching, and more.
The Rainbow Group’s goal is to build a community where people of diverse backgrounds and fortunes work together to co-create a healthy and meaningful life.
Mercury recently visited two of the Rainbow Group’s locations in Amsterdam, and we shared some compassionate moments with those availing of the care of this charity, including several Ukrainian refugees. We heard many incredible stories of human courage perseverance despite unfortunate setbacks and tragic circumstances.
Mercury has been delivering data centre projects in the Netherlands for a number of years, and this location remains a key area of operation for us. Partnering with De Regenboog is just one of a number of our initiatives that focus on supporting local communities and organisations. As a responsible business, Mercury works to meaningfully address community needs such as access to food, reduced poverty, and initiatives around supplies for schools and maintaining healthy lifestyles.
As part of this, Mercury supports several projects aligned with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) throughout cities where our projects are located. Zero hunger, and no poverty in local communities are two of the UN SDG’s that we actively champion. Supporting local organisations in proximity to our project sites benefits the quality of life for those living in the communities in which we operate.
We support multiple initiatives including supplies for local schools, promoting and maintaining healthy lifestyles, fundraising for organisations who work to improve the well-being of those in need of food, shelter, mental health support and more. Improving the well-being of local communities is one of the key ambitions of our sustainable business initiatives at Mercury.
Kathleen Denkers of De Regenboog Groep said: “The support from Mercury and other donations is crucial for maintaining our support to those who need it most in Amsterdam. We also plan to make our own operations more sustainable by installing more solar panels on the roofs of our properties to lower energy usage at these facilities.”
RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS – OUR PLANET, OUR DUTY
We believe that we each have a role to play in contributing to the sustainable development of our planet. With this in mind, we have launched Our Planet, Our Duty, our Responsible Business plan. Our Planet, Our Duty is our promise to help create a more sustainable environment around us. It forms one of the foundation blocks of Beyond50, our five year plan to push further and take Mercury beyond our 50th year in business.
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