The service of junk good trade and the related sale at their own flea market is the main pillar of the Lilienfeld Emmaus Community.

Interested male and female customers may inform Emmaus Lilienfeld, if they wish to dispose of intact goods, such as furniture or electric devices. The goods are picked up by the Companions free of charge, examined, and offered for sale at the flea market. As an additional service, also vacations of apartments are performed. This social enterprise places special emphasis on contentment of their customers.

Junk good trade as a contribution towards a sustainable treatment of resources

Junk good trade is a field of employment, which is offered by the Emmaus Communities on an international scale, and it harmonizes with the basic philosophy of this community to create living space for socially excluded persons. It is a simple activity, which can be performed by anyone without much previous knowledge. An essential part, however, is bodily fitness, which is trained on the job. “The Companions do their work with pleasure, because it affords social appreciation, and they are happy to act their part”, explains Siegfried Tischhart. The field of junk good trade is opposed to the “throwaway society” through a resale of personal chattels and furniture, and it is an example of sustainable treatment of resources.

Accompanying persons, until they are self-dependent

The target group of the Lilienfeld Emmaus Community, which is understood as an “association for the integration of socially needy people”, are persons, who do not fit into another funding model, i.e. people, who are not able to be integrated into other structures. Besides employment, acommodation and meals are available for a total of 8 persons. “We wish to accompany these persons, until they are self-dependent, and not until some term expires”, explains the Manager of the Emmaus Community, Siegfried Tischhart. The philosophy of this institution is to be able to subsist on their own, independent of funding bodies, which requires much self-sufficient cash generation and donations. Besides junk good trade, there is a project at the carpenter’s, where solid wood and domestic wood are processed.

Sustainability as slowdown

The topic of sustainability is generally of great importance for this institution. Besides heating with wood, a house well, and thermal building restoration, when it comes to eating, natural food is served consciously. The reduction of velocity towards sustainability means to Siegfried Tischhart: “In a society, in which everything shall be quick, a slowdown may contribute to treat one’s environment and fellow men more consciously.”