UPDATED: Zharity Newsletter October 2026

Last chance to get involved before the end of the year!

Engagement Opportunities

Corrected: Zharity Online Coffee Talk

We are hosting an ONLINE Zharity Coffee Talk on Thursday, November 12 from 12:00 to 13:00. This is an opportunity to learn more about Zharity and our open volunteering opportunities, and to have your questions answered.

Whether you are an existing volunteer and/or Verein member or are new to Zharity and want to learn more, we welcome you to join us. Register HERE.

Pad Project Material Prep

We’re gathering once again to trace and cut fabric for the reusable pad project! This is an ongoing initiative with the Nicholas Robinson School which helps more than 420 school-aged girls.

Material prep events have a fun, social atmosphere and are a great place to start getting involved with Zharity.

The next event will be held on Thursday, November 12 from 9:00 to 11:00 at Cafe Rumi in Kilchberg. You can sign up HERE.

Calling Sewers of all Levels

Knit Sew will be hosting another morning of sewing for our reusable pad project. Come join us in Katherine’s studio to assemble the pads so we can send them out to the girls that need them!

The next sewing morning will be held on Monday October 26th from 9-11am. Sign up for this and future events is available HERE.

The Wishlist is Open!

Our wishlist is open again, and we are seeking warm winter clothing. That includes gently loved warm clothing, rain gear and winter gear - anything that will help keep our community warm and dry this winter.

Also please note that we have temporarily removed most toys from our wishlist in order to manage our backlog. In the meantime, there are still several needed items you can donate!

You can find our full wishlist HERE.

Volunteer Opportunities

Zharity is looking to fill the following roles:

Co-Leads for Program and Event Teams
Unit Support Volunteers (Dübendorf)
Zharity Social Events Team

To learn more about these roles, please contact Rebecca Coyle

These and many other volunteer opportunities are only available to Verein Members. If you are interested in becoming a member, please click here.

Project Winter Warmth

No one should have to face the cold alone - Help us keep 50 women warm this winter

For women experiencing homelessness, winter is a question of health, safety, and dignity. Proper cold-weather gear is often out of reach.

This winter, Zharity’s 100% volunteer team will assemble at least 50 winter warmth kits in early November. Our partner organisation will distribute them in early December. Each kit contains:

Thermal underwear (top and bottom)
A winter hat
Energy-rich snacks

Each kit costs CHF 20. Our goal is to raise CHF 1,000 to fund the first 50 kits, but that is just the starting point. Every additional donation enables us to make more kits and reach more women in need.

Your gift in action

CHF 20 - gives one woman a complete winter warmth kit
CHF 100 - funds 5 kits
CHF 240 - funds 12 kits

Every contribution helps us purchase supplies in bulk, assemble complete winter-warmth kits, and place each one directly into the hands of a local woman who needs it most.

Double your Impact with Benevity

If your employer (or your partner’s) uses Benevity, your donation may be matched, doubling or even tripling its value. Check your company’s Benevity portal and search for “Zharity” or “Project Winter Warmth”.

Thank you for helping us bring warmth and care to women in our community this winter.

Updates and Thank Yous

Essen Für Alle Kit Making and Distribution

On the morning of Thursday, September 17th, an incredible team of 22 volunteers gathered at Essen für Alle in Zürich with one clear mission: package and organize essential hygiene kits for community members in need.

In just two short hours, this hard-working crew assembled, packed, and stored a total of 1,500 hygiene kits and cleaned up following the event! Each kit was carefully packed with everyday essentials: shampoo bars, toothbrushes/toothpaste, lip balm and deodorant.

The impact was immediate. On September 19, six Zharity volunteers partnered with Essen für Alle to distribute nearly 1350 hygiene kits to people in need in the Zürich community. Additional kits from the kit-making event will be distributed at other locations by our friends at Essen Für Alle.

Thank you to everyone that made this event possible! Read more about this event HERE.

Thank You, Thomson Reuters! 1,000 Hygiene Kits for Our Community

At Zharity, we are continuously inspired by what can be achieved when a dedicated team comes together to support others. On September 9th, as part of Thomson Reuters’ Global Volunteer Day, the Thomson Reuters team in Zug organized a kit-making event where they assembled an incredible 1,000 hygiene kits to support local individuals and families in need - including funding the project and managing the entire logistics process…

In other news…

Mon, Oct 5

Meet the Volunteer: Karen Switzer

I am a Canadian, who lived in Toronto and Calgary, before moving to Switzerland in the summer of 2013. Prior to relocating, I worked in various coordinator roles in not-for-profit organizations, property management and insurance. After my son was born, I became a stay-at-home mother, and in that time, I became a group leader in my local mom and baby group, a role I continued when my daughter was born.