Last week, the first edition of the “Time for Good” Gala took place, a charitable event dedicated to raising funds for social and sports causes, organized by the M.E.V. Foundation with the support of Kaufland Romania. The gala raised a total of €400,000, of which €300,000 came from auctions where participating companies supported the nine featured causes, each with a direct impact on local communities. In addition, more than €100,000 were donated separately by attendees who did not win the auctioned items. All contributions will be directed toward the social projects developed under the “Time for Good” initiative, supporting efforts dedicated to local communities.
The participating NGOs – Asociația Inima Lor ca Inima Ta, Asociația Caravana Pro Rugby, Fundația Filantropică Metropolis, the Romanian Volleyball Federation, Asociația Playfield, Renovatio Sport Club, Asociația Spirit Dinamovist, Black Sea Foodignity – Social Food, and Asociația Club Sportiv Ecvestru Issa Equines – presented their initiatives on stage in front of an audience of entrepreneurs, business leaders, professional athletes, and public figures.
Well-known personalities known for their social involvement also took the stage as project ambassadors: Zeljko Kopic, Florentin Petre, Cătălin Botezatu, Codin Maticiuc, Dani Oțil, Adi Hădean, and Ionela Năstase.
The projects supported this year cover essential areas, including the construction of Romania’s largest pediatric psychiatry hospital, access to medical services and food for disadvantaged communities, support for young mothers in vulnerable situations, training future generations of high-performance athletes, and alternative therapy for children with special needs. The presentations were followed by an auction session, during which guests were able to financially back their chosen cause through donation pledges for 2026.
Among the highlights of the evening were the appearances of athletes from Romania’s national rugby and volleyball teams, who delivered a powerful message about commitment, responsibility, and teamwork – fundamental values for a healthy society and a sustainable future.
“The ‘Time for Good’ project started from the belief that giving is more important than receiving – that each of us has the duty to leave something meaningful behind. Since then, we’ve discovered that good truly takes shape when done together, with people and organizations who believe in community. Sport plays an important role in this vision: it inspires, unites, and teaches discipline. This is why Kaufland invests around €2,000,000 annually in projects that support performance and encourage physical activity both in communities and among our employees. I strongly believe that time remains the most valuable resource you can offer. And the ‘Time for Good’ Gala once again shows how powerful a community can become when people choose to be part of it,” said Marco Hößl, CEO of Kaufland Romania and the Republic of Moldova.
The “Time for Good” Gala reinforces this vision: that solidarity becomes a strategic resource for change when leaders, companies, and communities choose to act together.
The event continues the concept of the “Goodness Auction,” held in March 2024 by Kaufland Romania, during which guests bid not with money but with volunteer hours. The format is inspired by major international auction houses, but replaces artworks with symbolic items linked to social projects addressing real community needs, such as school dropout, social exclusion, and pollution of waterways and green spaces.
The gala is part of the “Time for Good” initiative launched in 2022 by Marco Hößl as a personal commitment to dedicate each year a number of volunteer hours equivalent to his age. Since then, the initiative has grown into a platform promoting volunteerism and civic engagement, with annual editions bringing together over 500 volunteers from the Kaufland team, business leaders, journalists, and public figures, contributing thousands of hours of active support and a nationwide educational campaign in 2024. The “Festival of Good,” organized this spring on Kiseleff Boulevard, further strengthened the message that good is built together – with time, energy, and commitment.
