In a small library on the outskirts of Madrid, an older woman dusts a shelf of children’s books. They have bright covers, names written in marker pen, and stickers with the foundation’s logo. The woman smiles; she knows that the children will come back. This morning, she meets with a volunteer who runs a reading club for schoolchildren. She once went to this center for help herself, and now she helps others. It is a habit of caring born in places where generosity becomes the norm.
There are thousands of stories like this in Spain, but they are often not talked about, don’t make the headlines, and are rarely discussed. However, precisely these episodes form a whole system that supports society in times of uncertainty.
In recent years, the challenges have increased. Some people have lost loved ones, others their jobs. Some have found themselves locked in loneliness, others on the margins of society. That’s when those who chose to help stepped in. They opened centers, held classes, delivered food and medicine, paid for therapy, retraining, and medication. Sometimes it was a foundation with a well-known name. Sometimes it was an alliance of banks and organizations that had long forgotten what publicity was. Together, they created an invisible support infrastructure. And millions of people felt that they had not been abandoned.
What Is Spanish Philanthropy
In Spain, the tradition of charity is institutional. One of the most significant associations is CECA, an alliance of foundations and credit institutions. Over the past ten years, an average of 31 million people per year have benefited from their projects, almost a third of the country’s population. Tens of thousands of events are focused on healthcare, education, culture, environmental protection, and support for small communities.
In one winter month, CECA launched a program to help elderly people left without support during the pandemic. In another, it organized digital literacy courses for women who had lost their jobs. Centers were opened in rural areas where teenagers could study and socialize, even if the nearest school was dozens of kilometers away. All of this adds up to a sustainable network: informal but effective.
Where Change Begins
Transformations do not always begin with loud statements. Often, they start quietly, in conversation, in a chance encounter. One person tells another where to find support. That person, in turn, brings someone else. This is an integral part of the work of CECA and the foundations that have joined it. They work in the fields, in neighborhoods, cities, and villages.
These organizations’ programs cover different areas. For example:
- They open classrooms, libraries, clubs, and scholarship programs in education.
- In the environmental sphere, they promote waste recycling, restore natural areas, and teach new professions in the green economy.
- In medicine, they support older people, organize mobile centers, and accompany those without access to treatment.
- In culture, they create theaters, festivals, and workshops where everyone can tell their story.
Each of these areas is linked to the “public interest.” This is how they refer to anything that concerns everyone in Spain. However, foundations should not replace the state. They complement, reinforce, and launch initiatives where conventional tools are no longer practical.
When Assistance Becomes Systemic
Some of the foundations of CECA have been operating for decades. CaixaBank, Kutxabank, Unicaja, Ibercaja, and others are credit institutions that have understood that their activities are more than just finance. Dozens of foundations collaborate with them, each with its specific focus. Some work with young people. Some work with migrants. Some work with victims of violence.
Together, they have formed a robust system of private investment in the public good. Over the past ten years, €7.8 billion has been invested. This is an investment in people, their resilience, and their self-belief. Day after day, these projects strengthen the foundations of society and offer new opportunities.
Every year, CECA launches hundreds of new initiatives. Some are responses to crises, others are investments in the future. The keyword here is involvement. Philanthropy enters cities, homes, and destinies.
The economy rarely counts good deeds. However, CECA’s contribution is hard to ignore, even in terms of numbers. In 2020 alone, the sector generated an impact of €27 billion. That’s about 2.4 percent of Spain’s total GDP. But that’s not even the most important thing. What matters is how this money works. It triggers changes that don’t end with a single project.
When an older woman receives assistance and rejoins society, her environment changes. When a young person from a depressed neighborhood starts working in green energy, he inspires others. When a fund helps a migrant learn the language and find housing, it starts a new story.
This effect is called systemic. It influences the structure of society and makes it stronger. Where there was isolation, there is now connection. Where there was vulnerability, there is now confidence.
Conclusion
Philanthropy in Spain is a constant effort, the daily work of thousands of people who believe that solidarity is not just abstract words of support but concrete actions.
Today, as the world experiences climate upheaval, waves of migration, and social polarization, such work takes special significance. It shows that there is a way to be together. There is a way to share resources. There is a way to talk about love for humanity as a beautiful idea. But why? Let’s talk about it as a concrete strategy for action.
Philanthropy is the foundation of well-being.