Zharity’s November Newsletter

The end of the year is getting closer, but we still have lots of work to do!

Engagement Opportunities

Community Kit Making

Once again, Zharity is hosting a Community Kit Making. We will meet on the morning of Thursday, November 13th at St. Anton’s Church to assemble 1000 hygiene kits that will benefit a local food bank. The old adage is that “many hands make light work” and we invite you to join us to do this important work and learn more about Zharity. Sign up HERE.

Fall and Winter Clothing Donations

As the weather changes, we are focusing on collecting things that will keep people warm and dry. Think rain gear, warm clothing and even winter and snow gear. We have also worked through our clothing donation backlog, and are now accepting weather appropriate women’s and children’s clothes again!

Check our Partner Wishlist to see what items we are currently accepting.

November Zharity Coffee Talk for New and Existing Members

We are hosting an IN PERSON Zharity Coffee Chat on Tuesday, November 11th at 9:30 AM at The Bridge in Europa Allee. 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. Click here to register.

Updates and Thank Yous

🌍 Zharity Joins the 1% for the Planet Network

We are thrilled to share that Zharity has been officially accepted as an environmental partner within the 1% for the Planet network!

1% for the Planet connects businesses that commit to giving 1% of their annual sales to vetted environmental organizations making measurable, positive change. Founded by Yvon Chouinard (Patagonia) and Craig Mathews (Blue Ribbon Flies), the network brings together thousands of companies and nonprofits worldwide to address the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges.

Zharity’s work in redistribution supports the program’s impact areas of Sustainable Cities and Responsible Consumption & Production — reducing waste, promoting circular use, and strengthening community sustainability.

We are especially grateful to our corporate partner Mondays which supports businesses and schools with sustainable, plastic free menstrual products, for recommending Zharity to the program and for their ongoing support of our mission. Their advocacy helped open the door to this exciting new opportunity.

As part of this network, Zharity is now eligible to receive support from 1% for the Planet member companies, creating new opportunities for collaboration, visibility, and lasting environmental impact.

We’re proud to join this inspiring global movement — and look forward to creating even more impact together.

Thank you to The Bridge

A huge thank you to The Bridge - Zurich for partnering with Zharity by setting aside space for our gatherings. The welcoming space - paired with the ability to buy great coffee and food to fuel our meetings - make it possible for us to “Do good. Have Fun and Connect.” It takes a great deal of planning for Zharity to support our many non-profit Community Partners through our work - and we are so grateful to The Bridge-Zurich for helping make this part of our work easier! ☕✨

Thank you, Zurich Insurance

The weather was chilly but lovely the first week of October for the last clean-up of the Zharity season with Zurich Insurance at Lake Zürich. Together, the team of 16 collected over 35 kilos of trash, with one team member collecting close to 7 kilos!

Thank you to the entire Zurich Insurance team for helping to keep Lake Zürich clean and beautiful, and for your donation, which helps us continue our work in Zürich!

Pad Project Update

It’s a big month for the pad project! 198 pads are on their way to Ethiopia this month, and our sewers are busy again with the new material from our October 26 cutting event. Thank you to USTAXFS for sharing your space with us for our last cutting event of the year!

This was our biggest year yet for the Pad Project. Including the materials that are now with our sewers now, we will have made 430 pads in 2025, all thanks to the help of our volunteers, donors and the venues that hosted us. Thanks to everyone for coming together to make this project happen!

Volunteers Needed - We are looking for YOU!

Join our Zharity team and help us continue to grow. We are looking for several volunteers to help us and to be part of a dedicated team of Zharity. We require each of these volunteers to be Verein. Make sure to check in with the list of current openings.

Giving Tuesday Is Coming Up — Make Your Gift Go Further with Zharity

As the season of giving draws near, we wanted to share a friendly reminder that Giving Tuesday is just around the corner — taking place this year on December 2, 2025.

If you’re not familiar with it, Giving Tuesday began in the United States in 2012 as a global movement that encourages people to do good. It falls on the Tuesday after American Thanksgiving and the shopping days of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, shifting the focus from shopping to sharing— giving back to communities and causes that matter.

Over the years, Giving Tuesday has become an international celebration of kindness, with people in more than 90 countries joining in. It’s proof that generosity is universal.

This year, we invite you to consider supporting Zharity as part of your Giving Tuesday plans. Your contribution helps fund our ongoing good works — supporting our Community Partners with redistributed goods and essential needs products.

💙 Want to make your gift go even further?
If your employer uses Benevity, you can donate to Zharity through that platform — and many companies will match your gift, increasing your impact.

👉 Mark your calendar for Giving Tuesday (December 2nd) — and keep Zharity in mind as you plan your giving.