Captivating

Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity

Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity (GOCC) – a unique non-governmental organization, extremely effective in supporting health and saving life of sick people, especially children, and in recent years also the elderly.

The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity is mostly associated with a public fundraiser event called the GOCC Grand Finale. Every year in January, even in the worst frost and snowstorm, thousands of volunteers with collection boxes go out to the streets of cities, towns and villages, to collect (and we, almost all Poles, to donate) money for a specific medical purpose. For putting any amount into the collection boxes, donors receive a characteristic sticker with a red heart.

But that is not all. The Grand Finale is the most effective element of the work of a large team of wonderful people. However, throughout the year, they raise funds for the most state-of-the-art medical equipment for hospitals all over Poland, conduct medical and educational programs, and organize the annual Woodstock music festival with their volunteers in mind.

The GOCC Foundation from the beginning, i.e. from 1993, has been managed by the charismatic Jurek Owsiak, the originator and the main driving force behind its activities.

During thiry Finals of the GOCC, the Orchestra collected and donated over 1.75 billion PLN to support Polish medicine and purchased over 70 000 pieces af medical equipnment and devices. Last year, the amount collected was as high as PLN 224,376,706!

On January 28, 2024 Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity played again for the 32nd time. The main aim of this GOCC Finale is “Lungs after the pandemic. We play for children and adults!”.

Auctions are currently underway and the counting of the money raised is taking place. We will inform you of the result here in March!