Funding Projects

Year in Review 2025

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Youth camps, canoe trips, music projects or trips to events: for many years, the CVJM Apen’s club minibus was an important companion for countless children and young people from the Ammerland region of Lower Saxony. The shock was all the greater when the vehicle was completely destroyed in a fire. Although the association has since been able to purchase a new minibus, it quickly became clear that, to ensure that all young people – and above all children and young people with mobility impairments – can take part in the wide range of activities on offer, a replacement vehicle with wheelchair-accessible modifications was needed.

Mio was born prematurely and developed normally during his first few months. But soon a long journey full of medical examinations and therapies began. A global developmental disorder and numerous operations – including on his hips and eyes – as well as the resulting trauma have had a profound impact on his daily life. Despite all the setbacks, Mio is a cheerful, loving child who is forging his own path with great strength and determination. After a long break from therapy, he is fighting his way back step by step with physiotherapy, exercises and tireless dedication. This makes it all the more important to make everyday life more accessible and safer for him and his mother. Thanks to funding from the AMF-Bruns Foundation for a vehicle fitted with a cassette lift, greater independence, relief and participation in life have been achieved.

Thanks to the AMF-Bruns Foundation, we were able to fund the adaptation of a VW Caddy Maxi to meet accessibility requirements – thereby giving a special family greater mobility and a better quality of life. Soe (6) lives with a severe form of epilepsy and a rare genetic disorder. She is completely dependent on support and cannot sit up or hold her head up unaided. For her single mother, this means daily care, strength and constant vigilance. The vehicle conversion – including a ramp for the safe transport of her rehab buggy – makes everyday life noticeably easier.

19-year-old Bilal has suffered from a metabolic disorder since birth. He cannot walk or talk and is confined to a wheelchair. Doctor's appointments, therapies and even short trips have always been a major challenge for his family.

Thanks to the support of the AMF-Bruns Foundation, a Ford Courier was converted to be wheelchair accessible and given to the family. The new vehicle gives Bilal greater mobility, expands his range of movement and enables him to participate more fully in life. At the same time, it means a great relief for his family, who have lovingly cared for him for years.

Nine-year-old Tulip lives with severe multiple disabilities and is completely dependent on assistance and her specially adapted wheelchair in everyday life. A specially equipped vehicle is essential for doctor's appointments, therapies, and safe mobility.

Thanks to funding from the AMF-Bruns Foundation for the vehicle conversion with a cassette lift, this important prerequisite has been created – for greater safety, relief for the family, and better participation in life.

The Cakan family from Münster has two children who require round-the-clock care due to their rare genetic disorder. Amina and her big brother Mohammed often have to go to therapy or the doctor, which is why a wheelchair-accessible family car is essential. As their financial resources are limited, the AMF-Bruns Foundation covered the cost of converting their Mercedes-Benz Vito with a wheelchair lift, amounting to approximately €8,500. Now the Cakans can travel safely with both wheelchairs. This is a tangible help, as both parents work and are also involved in voluntary work, despite being solely responsible for their children's care. The strength and courage of the Cakan family are impressive, and we wish them all the best!

The five-member Drücker family, including their faithful dog, has a very special story. Their triplets Theo, Bruno, and Lotta were born twelve weeks prematurely in 2013. While the boys are well developed motorically, Lotta has been struggling with infantile cerebral palsy since birth. She cannot sit, stand, or walk independently and is confined to a wheelchair. Despite her challenges, Lotta is a cheerful girl who enjoys going to school and spending time with her friends. Thanks to the support of the AMF-Bruns Foundation, her Mercedes-Benz V-Class was converted with a rear cut floor and ramp. This makes it much easier to transport Lotta and makes life a little easier for the family.

Pamela Eichmüller has lived with mental and physical disabilities since birth and is dependent on a wheelchair with a special seat shell. Leaving the house was often a major challenge for her and her family.

Thanks to the AMF-Bruns Foundation, the family car, a Toyota Verso, was converted with a rear cut floor, non-slip ramp, and ISO approved restraint system. Pamela can now enjoy everyday life with her family safely and carefree.

Leni was born in 2020 and has a rare genetic disorder called MEF2C haploinsufficiency syndrome. Since she was 18 months old, her parents have known that she cannot speak or walk due to this condition. Leni is confined to a wheelchair and requires round-the-clock support. In addition to her limited mobility, Leni struggles daily with therapy-resistant epilepsy, which causes her to have many seizures, especially at night. To give Leni the best possible support, weekly therapies are on the schedule: speech therapy, motor therapy, physical therapy, movement baths, and therapeutic riding. Thanks to the vehicle conversion, the family can now attend these important appointments more easily and offer Leni the best possible support.

Thanks to the AMF-Bruns Foundation, the König family from Moorburg (Ammerland district) can finally travel carefree again. Leni lives with microdeletion syndrome, which causes severe developmental delays, epilepsy with severe seizures, and major everyday challenges. Since her bilateral hip surgery in 2019, Leni needs help with personal hygiene, getting dressed, eating, drinking, and, above all, getting around. Thanks to financial support, the family's Renault Traffic was converted. With a grant of €7,100, Leni now has a safe and, above all, practical means of transportation for everyday use! This is a noticeable relief for the family.

The AMF-Bruns Foundation is delighted to be able to support a single mother of two children with the conversion of her vehicle to make it accessible. Her 13-year-old son lives with the very rare genetic disorder TBR-1. He cannot walk or talk and needs round-the-clock care. Physical care and mobility have always been a major challenge for the mother – especially since her breast cancer diagnosis last fall, which has severely impaired her left arm. Despite these difficult circumstances, she has managed to load and unload her son and his wheelchair every day – with enormous strength and dedication. Thanks to the foundation's support, the existing VW Multivan has now been converted to be barrier-free – an enormous relief for the family and an important step toward greater independence and safety in everyday life.

Yannik is four years old. At the age of two, he was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome and severe epilepsy. He suffered a serious epileptic seizure during which he fell into a so-called nonconvulsive state - meaning that his brain “convulsed” continuously for many hours without any immediately visible external signs. The result: massive brain damage. Since then, Yannik has been cared for around the clock, is fed artificially, and requires oxygen. Thanks to the support of the AMF-Bruns Foundation, which funded the conversion of a vehicle to make it accessible for disabled people, the family can once again go on trips together and is delighted with the improvement in their quality of life and freedom.

Conner is six years old and struggles every day with the challenges of a rare genetic disorder - Lowe syndrome. His wheelchair is indispensable to him, but transporting it has always required a great deal of physical effort on the part of his family.

Thanks to the support of the AMF-Bruns Foundation, a Peugeot Rifter has now been converted to be wheelchair accessible and perfectly adapted to the needs of the Bandowski family. For the family, this means greater ease in everyday life and, for Conner, a little more participation and freedom.

The AMF-Bruns Foundation is donating €15,000 to ensure the preservation and further development of the Hengstforder Mill. This generous support will help to preserve this historic site and strengthen it for the future.

A wheelchair-accessible vehicle is essential for the Illgen and Gerlach family: their 28-year-old daughter Zoe relies on a large shell wheelchair. After the vehicle they had been using broke down after 15 years, the family suddenly found themselves with significant limitations in their everyday life without suitable transportation. Thanks to the support of the AMF-Bruns Foundation, a Volkswagen Caddy Maxi was converted to be barrier-free. With a rear cut floor and ramp, the vehicle offers safe and comfortable access. The new Caddy gives the family back a great deal of independence and joy in life. Thanks to the generous support, family outings and visits to their brother are finally possible again!

Elias Mekow is 16 years old and lives with a severe progressive metabolic disorder associated with epilepsy. He cannot speak or walk unaided and is dependent on the round-the-clock support of his single mother. Due to her own health limitations, she was no longer able to lift Elias safely into the car. Thanks to a joint initiative by the AMF-Bruns Foundation and generous support from a charity tournament organized by the TSV Gadeland and Blau-Weiß Wittorf sports clubs, a Volkswagen Caddy with a rear cut floor was financed. Elias can now be transported in his wheelchair, which makes it much easier for him to attend important doctor and therapy appointments and for the family to go about their daily lives.

Murat Sahin, who relies on an electric wheelchair specially adapted to his physique, lives with his parents. Murat's daily care and support is a financial and organizational challenge for the entire family. Murat's siblings decided to support the family by purchasing a new vehicle, which had to be converted with a wheelchair-accessible rear cut floor. Thanks to the AMF-Bruns Foundation, the family was able to have their Mercedes-Benz Vito L2 converted by AMF-Bruns. The converted vehicle enables Murat to be transported safely and comfortably and makes everyday life easier for the family.

Hope and mobility for the Friedrich family. After Christian had previously helped many people as a paramedic, his life was drastically changed at the age of just 42 by a serious injury and the subsequent amputation of his left lower leg. Trips, church services, and family visits became impossible for the family. Thanks to the foundation's generous funding commitment, the Renault Kangoo could now be converted so that Christian could finally get into the vehicle effortlessly and gain more mobility. This support gives the Friedrich family back a piece of their quality of life!

Sofie Grewer was in the middle of her studies when she fell seriously ill and has been confined to a wheelchair for about three years. Due to the progression of her illness, Sofie now needs an electric wheelchair. Her previous car was neither suitable for Sofie's needs nor safe. But without mobility, many everyday tasks are almost impossible: visits to the doctor, lectures at the university, or a trip into town. Thanks to the support of the AMF-Bruns Foundation, Sofie and her mother Edith were able to purchase a specially converted vehicle. The wheelchair-accessible conversion of the VW Caddy Maxi, worth around €8,000 and financed by the foundation, not only gives Sofie easy and safe access to the car, but also more freedom and participation in life.

Year in Review 2022

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