How Can I Help with the Refugee Crisis?
Whether you have money or not, whether you have time or not - you can help. I will show how many ways you can.
Projects in the Region
MINTEGRA-Frauentreff - (Women's Get-Together)
Enjoy conversations about everyday life in Switzerland with the locals. The weekly get-togethers take place in Buchs, Sargans, Sennwald, Sevelen, Walenstadt, and Wartau. For exact days, times, locations and contact persons go to:
www.mintegra.ch/fachstelleintegration/Angebote Foundation MINTEGRA, 081 756 61 03 or 079 957 37 82
New Project – „Welcome Dinner Werdenberg
Open your house and invite a refugee/family to dinner. Dr. Klaus Dass, has initiated this new project and will be supported by the Integration Foundation Mintegra in Buchs. Herr Dass will pair refugees with interested parties according to family size, hobbies, language abilities etc.
For more information contact: Klaus Dass, Rütigass 15, 9468 Sax or per E-Mail; Klaus@dassconsult.com
Solidaritätsgruppe für die Freiwilligenarbeit mit Geflüchteten (Solidarity Volunteer Group with Refugees)
A group of volunteers in Sevelen have come together to support the refugees. Their goal is to use their ideas, resources and strengths to actively support the refugees in their community.
To help or for more info contact: Helen Weder 081 785 24 13 or Elisabeth Gantenbein Breuer 081 785 10 33.
Meeting place Kafihalle (Coffee Hall)
The Kafihalle is sponsored by the Diaconal Club Werdenberg (Theological Social Welfare Organization) and offers poverty afflicted, asylum seekers, unemployed and sick people a chance to come together once a week. Every Tuesday, they offer consulting, fellowship and meaningful activities in a respectful and appreciative atmosphere. There is also a monthly lunch.
For more information: 081 771 31 53 Waltraud.eggenberger@diakonieverein.ch
Parents Children Forum in Vaduz
Young mothers and migrants meet regularly to share their life experiences.
Priska Garg Baur St. Mark St. 16, 9490 Vaduz + 423 233 24 38 www.elternkindforum
Cantonal Projects
There are a variety of projects that exist.
St. Gallen Cantonal Protestant Church
“We have to be careful, warns Heinz Fäh, member of the Governing Board of the Cantonal Protestant Church, “that we don’t fall into false activism but do what is really needed.” He encourages, “ personal encounters and projects that offer and support daily structures are always helpful."
The Diaconal Department’s job is to maintain a network of projects, relevant contacts and collection of ideas. Currently there are 60 projects on the list.
Contact Person: Mayan Diaconal Hauri www.sg-ref/diakonie. To view the projects go to; www.ref-sg.ch/seite_279.
«HEKS new gardens».
To promote the integration of refugees, the Help Organization of the Protestant Church of Switzerland, HEKS rents garden parcels in public areas. Refuges and volunteers plant, work and harvest together.
HEKS started a Hotline for people interested in volunteering long-term. Info’s under 044 360 88 44.www.heks.ch
Swiss Red Cross and Caritas Projects
Mitten unter uns (In our Midst) – Invite a child from another culture into your families everyday life.
Homework help – Help a child from another culture with their homework.
WG (Wohngemeinschaft) Do you and your roommates have an extra room for a young adult refugee?
Club MUNTERwegs – Foreign and Swiss children come together. Would you become a mentor?
Working together with refugees:
Do you want to take an active role? Volunteers can contact the asylum centers or charitable organizations directly. For example; http://www.solidaritaetsnetz.ch/ or http://www.solidaritaetshaus.ch/
Solikarte
Do you have a Cumulus Card? You can choose to either donate your points or you can order. The Cumulus-Coupons worth 50.CHF per week are donated to families or person in need In der Ostschweiz (Eastern Switzerland) the Solikarte is a part of the Solidarity Network (see above). You can order a Solikarte here: http://solikarte.ch/
Clothes /Household Items - Donations
Most of the refugees come from southern countries where winter clothes aren’t needed. Daniela Eigenmann from the St. Gallen Department of Integration says, “At the moment the refugee centers have all of the clothes they need. As winter approaches, the situation can change.”
Mintegra recommends a centralized location for clothes donations:
- Thullip-Brockenhaus, Altendorfstr. 14,9470-Buchs
- Die Kafihalle Buchs, Moosweg 1, Buchs
Accommodation/housing refugees:
Are you interested in opening your home to refugees? If so, you can contact patricia.stieger@vsgp-sg.ch .
Financial Donations
These organizations offer refugees and asylum seekers humanitarian , legal aid and advice as well as courses.
Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe
Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe SFH Weyermannsstrasse 10 Postfach 8154 CH-3001 Bern
Tel. +41 (0)31 370 75 75 info@fluechtlingshilfe.ch
Caritas
www.caritas.ch or per E-Mail : info@caritas.ch
Hilfswerk der Evangelischen Kirchen Schweiz? (HEKS): (Swiss Protestant Church Humanitarian Charity)
HEKS has started a Hotline for people interested in volunteering. 044 360 88 44. www.heks.ch
Schweizer Glückskette (Swiss Solidarity) collects donations for emergency situations in association with Swiss Television and Radio SRF. The homepage is in the three national languages plus English. www.glueckskette.ch
Further Information
The Swiss Federal Government has created a new integrations pamphlet in multiple languages.
http://www.integration.SG.ch/home/Fluechtlingsintegration.html