Defence of the Faith and assistance to the poor
This has been the motto of all organizations of the Order of Malta for more than nine hundred years. As one of the first civil organisations, the Hungarian Charity Service Association of the Order of Malta was founded on 4th February 1989 under the direction of Father Imre Kozma and 31 founding members.
HCSOM is one of the the largest NGOs in Hungary with its national centre and 7 regional directorates, providing social services to a wide variety of beneficiaries. As one of the main actors in the non-state welfare system and social safety net, HCSOM operates institutional services (eg. homeless shelters, soup-kitchens, temporary shelters, medical treatment centres) and implements innovative programs based on personal presence (integration programs, Inclusive Village Program, Presence Program, field-based support models).
Due to these initiatives, experienced professional staff and good practices, the Service has become one of the most important and relevant intellectual and practical workshops in Hungary and the whole region, elaborating and implementing methods to provide effective and long-lasting support for the most disadvantaged people.
HCSOM is also successful in working with different types of institutions: local communities, municipalities, ministries, expert groups, labour offices, schools and kindergardens.