FAQ
FAQ Donations
We’re also happy to issue a receipt for in-kind donations. Please provide proof of the value of the donated item and state your full name and current address.
If your collection jar is full, you can call us and we will pick it up, or you can schedule a time to drop it off at the hospice. Our opening hours are weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but please note that the collected amount cannot be counted immediately on site. Once it has been counted, you will receive a thank-you letter stating the total proceeds of your collection campaign.
The annual collection jar exchange is very important for us in order to keep track of the jars that have been set up and the donations they contain. For this reason, we would greatly appreciate it if you would contact us after one year at the latest so that we can schedule a return or exchange of your collection jar(s).
Please only hand over your jar after making prior arrangements and be sure to check the ID of the person picking it up. If you pass the jar on to someone else (e.g. within your company) or to several people who will be responsible for setting it up, please share this information with them and inform us of the new contact person(s) and/or change of location.
You wish to send us one of the in-kind donations listed? Please contact our head of facility management – Monday to Friday between 9:00 a.m. und 5:00 p.m.
Yes, we recommend that you seek legal advice from a notary when drawing up your will or bequest, as each inheritance case is unique.
We generally provide all the necessary tools and materials. If you’d like to bring any special equipment, we’d be happy to discuss this with you in advance.
If a jar is lost or stolen, please notify your local police station and send us the incident number as soon as you receive it.
You will generally receive your donation receipt within a few weeks after the in-kind donation has been received.
With an endowment contribution, you can ensure the long-term existence of foundations such as the Sternenbrücke children's hospice foundation. A donation, on the other hand, provides short-term support for the work of the children's hospice.
Yes, all donations to Sternenbrücke are tax-deductible. You will receive a donation receipt automatically.
A Social Day generally lasts one workday (around 6–8 hours). We are happy to schedule the exact times with you on an individual basis.
To prevent theft, please make sure the jar is securely attached if it is placed in a public area. Please do not leave it unattended, if possible.
We are delighted when our volunteers are able to support us on a regular basis – ideally several times per month. Since working with sick children and their families requires particular sensitivity, our volunteers must attend a two-week training course before starting at the hospice. Every helping hand matters. Together, we can make a big difference.
For those people who would like to get involved one a one-time basis, we offer the possibility of a Social Day. There is always plenty of work to do at Sternenbrücke – whether it be taking care of the garden, repairing play equipment or other practical work. There are opportunities for companies, groups or individual persons to actively support us on a weekday (Monday to Friday). Depending on the time of year and number of people involved, there’s a wide range of tasks – every contribution makes a real impact.
here you will find more information about Social Days.
Yes, you can also donate several items from our wish list. We greatly appreciate your support!
Yes. If a beneficiary is named in the life insurance policy, it is not included in the estate. The Sternenbrücke children's hospice can also be named as a beneficiary.
We accept payments via PayPal, SEPA direct debit, credit card and bank transfers.
Social Days take place from Monday to Friday. We are happy to schedule a date that works for both sides.
Please note that our collection jars are for “passive collection” only and we do not permit street collections. However, “proactive collection”, e.g. at school or at a private event, is possible.
Our volunteers contribute across many areas of the Sternenbrücke children’s hospice and help make it a warmer, more caring place with their dedication. They assist our educational team and help out at the reception desk, with administrative work, in public relations or with housekeeping tasks. However, all medical and nursing tasks are handled solely by our specialists. In any case, the work of our volunteers is a valuable contribution - and an important part of our community.
Donors are welcome to deliver in-kind or monetary donations to us in person at Sternenbrücke. Unfortunately, a tour of our rooms is not possible since we wish to protect our guests’ privacy and give them the quiet that they need. If you would like to deliver a donation in person, you are welcome to schedule an appointment by telephone at 040 - 81 99 12 0 or by e-mail at info@sternenbruecke.de.
You are warmly invited to our annual “Open House Day” at Sternenbrücke on May 1 between noon and 6:00 pm. The rooms in the hospice are not occupied on this day and can be visited.
No. Non-profit organizations such as the Sternenbrücke children's hospice are exempt from inheritance tax. This means that 100 percent of your inheritance will go to a good cause.
Your donation will go directly toward supporting seriously ill children and their families as well as the ongoing work of our children’s and youth hospice.
The sealed collection jar is registered to your address; however, it remains the property of the hospice and is provided to you on loan. It may only be opened and counted by an authorized member of the Sternenbrücke staff.
Due to hygiene regulations and various allergies of our guests, we unfortunately cannot accept used toys or similar items.
But there are often “special wishes” from different areas at Sternenbrücke that would make a big difference. Small and large items that we need can be found on our wish list, which is updated daily.
Our bank account details are:
Hamburger Sparkasse
IBAN: DE69 2005 0550 1001 3007 87
BIC: HASPDEHHXXX
Donate via PayPal: sternenbruecke.de/paypal
Sternenbrücke’s annual donation needs are around 2.6 million euros.
FAQ What wedo
Due to the special situation of our guests, it’s not possible to take a tour of the premises. However, we’d be happy to arrange a visit and share more about our work in a personal meeting. Please contact us if you are interested.
Our services are intended for families with children, adolescents or young adults with life-shortening illnesses. We make sure your donation directly benefits the families. Around 87% of our expenditures go towards the direct care and support of the children and their families, including:
care-related expenses (49%)
grief and psychosocial counseling of family and loved ones (11%)
therapeutic and educational services for children and siblings (9%)
medical care (4%)
material expenses (e.g. food, power) (10%)
The remaining 17% is used for essential administrative costs that help keep our hospice operating smoothly and maintain the high standard of care we provide.
Our services are intended for families with children, adolescents or young adults with life-shortening illnesses.
At Sternenbrücke, we provide care for children, adolescents and young adults who have been diagnosed with a life-shortening illness. This includes, in particular, metabolic and muscular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, severe multiple disabilities and different types of cancer.
Find out more about the medical conditions.
We admit children, adolescents and young adults up to the age of 27.
Families come to Sternenbrücke for a variety of reasons: Most of our work – around 80% – focuses on respite care stays, giving families valuable time to rest and recharge. In addition, we provide support for children and their families during the final stage of life and even offer grief support services after they have lost their child
Families from all over Germany can be admitted to Sternenbrücke. Regardless of what part of Germany they are from, we are here to support and assist them.
Families can spend a maximum of 28 (scheduled) days a year at Sternenbrücke for respite care stays. We are also here for them in crisis situations. When a terminally ill young person reaches the final stage of life, his or her family can stay for an indefinite period.
Sick guests are always allowed to bring their family members with them to Sternenbrücke, whether for a respite care stay or during their final stage of life. The various services we offer are intended to give families a chance to rest and regain their strength, so they can continue meeting their child’s care needs. We also want to reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation, and provide both emotional and physical relief to families and loved ones.
Each sick young visitor is allocated one room for family and loved ones and, if needed, up to three rooms for siblings.
No, the families do not incur any costs. Health insurance and nursing care funds pay for around 55 percent of the costs for the care of our guests. The remaining 45 percent as well as the costs for accommodating families and loved ones are covered by donations. In this way, we ensure that all families – regardless of their individual financial situation – can receive the comprehensive support they need.
Our social care team assists families during their stay at Sternenbrücke. In personal meetings with the families, we assess their individual needs – focusing in particular on ways to ease their household burden – and help ensure they receive the support they need.
In spite of a shortage of care specialists, we do everything we can to provide our young guests with loving and high-level care. We generally maintain a 2:1 ratio of caregivers to sick young people so that we can best address their individual needs. In addition, we have an on-call unit on standby around the clock – whether to provide help in emergency situations or to allow for the immediate admission of a young person in his or her final stage of life.
Children who are in this stage as well as children who are severely ill or require a ventilator generally receive one-on-one care from a dedicated care specialist who is there for the child and his or her family around the clock.
The Sternenbrücke children’s hospice offers a variety of support services for families and loved ones: These include grief counselling, empathetic sibling support through a team of specialists and grief counselors during the stay as well as advice and assistance relating to social care support and benefits available. In addition, daily doctor visits provide families with vital support as the illness progresses.
Find out more about our services for families and siblings.
FAQ Who weare
We include the entire family in our work because we know that the situation not only affects the sick children, but also their siblings, family and loved ones. They also need support and space to deal with their own challenges. We provide this space so they can take this journey together and find renewed strength along the way.
Lots of dedicated people from a variety of specialist areas work hand in hand at Sternenbrücke to provide seriously ill children and their families with the best possible care and support. Our team is made up of the following areas:
Nursing
Doctors
Psychosocial counseling
Educational and developmental support
Kitchen & housekeeping
Volunteering
Press and public relations
Building services
Financial accounting
Training and continuing education
Human resources
Wills & estates
We regularly provide insights into our work and share meaningful stories through our newsletter, social media, and website.
We continuously evaluate our work and regularly take time to examine our services and adapt them to new challenges and findings. In this way, we make sure that we are always able to address the families’ needs in the best way possible.
Our work is built on an interdisciplinary approach that brings together nursing care, therapy, and psychosocial support to ensure the best possible care for our guests and their families .
Eine Führung durch die Räumlichkeiten ist aufgrund der besonderen Situation unserer Gäste nicht möglich. Nach vorheriger Absprache laden wir sie aber gerne zu uns ein, um Ihnen unsere Arbeit in einem persönlichen Gespräch vorzustellen. Bitte kontaktieren Sie uns, wenn Sie Interesse haben.
Whether through a one-time contribution or a long-term partnership, your company’s commitment to Sternenbrücke reflects true social responsibility and makes you an ambassador for the vital work of our children’s hospice.
You will find additional information at: Donate as a company
In addition to regular training, we offer our staff supervisions and psychosocial support to help them deal with the emotional challenges of their work.
The Sternenbrücke children’s hospice foundation is a member of multiple associations and organisations at both regional and national level that are dedicated to improving the lives of families with incurably ill children.
In addition, close cooperation and networking with other children’s and youth hospices, palliative care services and hospitals are especially important.
We regularly provide insights into our team’s work and share meaningful stories through our newsletter, social media, and website.
We currently have a unique opportunity to expand our support network for affected families – with a new building that will offer even more space for connection, community and independence.
FAQ Career
Please send us a cover letter, your CV and relevant certificates (e.g. training certificates, job references).
No. As a rule, we consider all applications we receive and are always pleased to see strong interest.
You will receive immediate confirmation when your application has been received. As soon as your application has been reviewed, you will be personally notified. The final step is to schedule an appointment.
The relevant contact person will be named in the job posting. However, you are also welcome to reach out to our HR department at any time.
We think it’s great if you take the time to learn about us and your values align with ours. We look forward to meeting you – in a personal, genuine, and approachable way.
If we choose another applicant, perhaps it will work out for you the next time. Your data will be treated in accordance with data protection regulations and deleted unless you explicitly consent to longer storage.