Charity begins at home. So, as part of the 26th Bundesliga matchday, Union's first team players will warm up for the home game against Werder Bremen with the message "Eisern für Menschlichkeit" on the front of their red T-shirts, just as will Union’s women’s team for their home match against RasenBallsport Leipzig II on Sunday.

These adidas training shirts will then be signed and auctioned off on the club's own platform from Monday. This is all to benefit the fantastic work of the Welcome Alliance, whose “Welcome to football” project's goals are clear: they offer refugees a break from the everyday, while assisting them in establishing contacts and adjusting to life in a new country through the game we all love.

The nationwide program was launched by the Deutschen Kinder- und Jugendstiftung (German Children and Youth Foundation) in 2015 and 1. FC Union Berlin – together with numerous partners and under the leadership of their "UNION VEREINT. Shoulder to Shoulder" foundation - have been helping build connections between young people both with and without a refugee background ever since.

This Autumn a trip to take 50 of these kids to Dortmund is planned, to visit the welcome alliance there and to take part in a football tournament. As well as the proceeds from the auctions, under the motto "Eisern für Menschichkeit", Union and their foundation are also collecting donations to be donated to the Welcome Alliance to make this dream trip possible.

"Unfortunately, the funding from the Deutschen Kinder- und Jugendstiftung ended in 2021, and has since been financed entirely by our foundation through donations" said Joschen Lesching, CEO of the 1. FC Union Berlin foundation. "In addition to the training sessions hosted here on site, we would like to open up new horizons for the young people through offering new experiences and are happy for any support we can receive."

The Union Foundation will accept donations for "Welcome to Football" directly to:

• Foundation "UNION VEREINT. Shoulder to Shoulder" of 1. FC Union Berlin
  Reference: Willkommen im Fußball
  Paypal: info@fc-union-stiftung.de
• Berliner Volksbank
  IBAN DE50 1009 0000 2876 1440 02
  BIC BEVODEBBXXX