What Armee du Salut does

Fondation Arm\u00e9e du Salut Suisse (Salvation Army Switzerland) is a non-profit charitable foundation headquartered in Bern and part of the global Salvation Army network active in 134 countries. Founded in 1882 globally and operating in Switzerland since 1934, the organization delivers a broad social welfare portfolio across more than 150 sites, including emergency shelters (705 beds, 70,000+ annual users), transitional and supported housing, nursing homes, refugee collective housing, childcare facilities (cr\u00e8ches with 78 children capacity), children's residential homes, home care services (Soins \u00e0 domicile in Neuch\u00e2tel canton), sheltered employment workshops, vocational integration programs (travailPLUS Romandie), prison family support (Angeh\u00f6rt), family counseling, food distribution, and international development projects. Core technology is operational rather than digital: no proprietary technology platform or AI capability is described, and service delivery relies on physical facilities, trained staff, and volunteer networks (29,345 volunteer days contributed in 2025).

The business model is a hybrid non-profit funding structure combining three primary revenue streams: private donations (one-time, recurring via #StandByMe campaign, bequests, and corporate in-kind contributions), government performance mandates and subsidies (CHF 60 million received in 2025 from federal and cantonal sources for refugee aid, social services, and shelter placements), and insurance reimbursements (LAMal for home care at CHF 52.60-76.90 per hour, AI for sheltered employment). Commercial revenue is generated through brocki.ch secondhand retail and an online shop selling workshop-produced crafts. Services to beneficiaries are predominantly free or donation-funded; 92% of donations are directed to projects versus the 65% ZEWO minimum, and only 3.2% is spent on fundraising versus the 25% maximum, reflecting strong operational efficiency that underwrites donor trust and continued government contract eligibility.

Name

Armee du Salut

Legal name

Fondation Armée du Salut Suisse

Website

https://armeedusalut.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Fondation Arm\u00e9e du Salut Suisse is a Swiss non-profit foundation operating 150+ sites providing emergency shelter, housing, childcare, senior care, home care, vocational integration, prison family support, and international development, funded through donations, government contracts, and insurance reimbursements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services and Humanitarian Aid

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Community Housing Services (62422), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH), Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC), Emergency Shelter, NFIs & Winterization for Displaced Populations (BPADAHAG), Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

Keywords

• Social welfare services
• Emergency shelter services
• Humanitarian aid programs
• Senior care services
• Vocational integration programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donations (one-time and recurring), bequests and inheritances, corporate donations in kind. 92% of donations used directly for projects and services.
2. Government Contracts and Subsidies: Performance mandates from federal and cantonal governments for refugee aid and social services. Public funding for shelter placements and social welfare programs. CHF 60 million received from public sources in 2025.
3. Insurance Reimbursements: Health insurance (LAMal) reimbursements for home care services. Disability insurance (AI) funding for sheltered employment and day structures.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Armee du Salut (Salvation Army Switzerland) is a nonprofit foundation that operates emergency shelters, transitional and assisted housing, senior nursing homes, childcare centers, family counseling services, home care, vocational integration programs, prison family support services, and international development projects. The organization also runs brocki.ch secondhand shops and an online shop selling products from its sheltered workshops. Services are delivered through more than 150 sites across Switzerland and are funded primarily through donations, government contracts, and health insurance reimbursements.

Product overview

The Armee du Salut (Salvation Army Switzerland) is a humanitarian and Christian charitable organization operating a broad, multi-service social welfare portfolio across Switzerland and internationally. The offering is not a single unified product but a portfolio of distinct service programs organized around housing and shelter (emergency shelters, supported housing, nursing homes, refugee housing, children's homes), family support (crèches, childcare, family counseling, BabySong), vocational integration (travailPLUS, sheltered workshops/emploix adaptés, textile program), home care (Soins à domicile), prison services (Angehört, prison chaplaincy), community food programs, international development, and retail (brocki.ch second-hand shops). These services share a common mission of alleviating human distress and are funded through donations, public mandates, and social insurance. The organization holds ZEWO certification for charitable fund use and QualiIPE certification for its childcare services. No public API or AI capabilities are described.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hébergements d'urgence / Night shelters Short-term beds and social assistance for homeless individuals and families, delivered through 6 national shelter facilities with 705 beds serving more than 70,000 people annually.
• Hébergement protégé pour adultes Temporary housing for men and women in difficult life situations, combined with day structure programs offering meaningful activities at multiple sites.
• Etablissements médico-sociaux (EMS) / Senior residences Nursing homes and senior living facilities for elderly individuals who can no longer live independently, including EMS Le Foyer in Neuchatel.
• Foyers pour enfants et jeunes Residential care homes for children and youth providing various forms of accommodation and professional educational support.
• Hébergements collectifs pour réfugiés Collective housing for refugees across multiple sites in the Bern region, providing temporary homes for people fleeing their home countries.
• Centre d'accueil pour femmes et leurs enfants Shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic violence, serving as a refuge with comprehensive support.
• Hébergement accompagné / WohnBegleitung Ambulatory supported housing service helping individuals manage daily living in their own homes through coaching by specialists, available across German and French-speaking Switzerland.
• Soins à domicile (OSAD) - Home care services Home care services providing LAMal-covered nursing care, palliative support, and assistance to families and dependents in Neuchatel canton.
• Crèches et garde d'enfants Professional childcare services including crèches at Neumunsterallee and La Bergerie, offering pedagogical care for children from infancy through preschool age.
• Structures d'accueil de jour et cantines Day structures, midday cantines, and family meeting places providing after-school care, midday meals, and community spaces for families.
• Emplois adaptés / Protected employment Sheltered employment and vocational integration programs offering adapted jobs in hospitality, horticulture, craftsmanship, and retail, paired with day structure support.
• travailPLUS Romandie Vocational reintegration program helping people with difficulties entering the labor market, offering job coaching and placement support in French-speaking Switzerland.
• Programme textile Bâle Textile program offering day structure and first steps into the working world for women in the Basel region, helping participants recognize and strengthen their skills.
• Conseils familiaux Family counseling service providing individual, couple, and family consultations, home visits, and educational courses through the Family and Education service in Münsingen.
• BabySong Regular parent-and-child activity program where parents sing and snack with their children, creating social connections and community.
• Angehör(t) - Aide aux proches de détenus Counseling bureau for families of prisoners, providing advice, practical support, and accompaniment since 2016, financed exclusively by donations.
• Service des prisons Prison service offering emotional support, practical assistance, spiritual guidance, legal advice, and reintegration support for prisoners and their families.
• brocki.ch - Secondhand shop Second-hand shop network and online platform selling goods donated by the public, with proceeds supporting the organization's charitable programs.
• Développement international International development programs supporting disadvantaged populations in Jamaica, Philippines, DRC, Myanmar, and Brazil through food security, microcredit, education, and disaster relief projects.
• Boutique en ligne (shop.heilsarmee.ch) Online shop selling products manufactured by residents in the organization's sheltered workshops, including items from ceramics, woodwork, gardening, and other craft programs.
• Aide et consultation sociales Social counseling services providing support to people in social distress, poverty, or risk of social decline across multiple Swiss locations.
• Cultes et foi chrétienne Christian worship services, spiritual support, prayer, and faith encouragement through the organization's parish network across Switzerland.
• Points de distribution alimentaire et repas communautaires Food distribution points, community meals, and soup kitchens provided through parish social-diakonal offerings, including the Solidarity Meals program in Vevey.
• Logement assisté / Housing First Assisted housing program based on the Housing First philosophy, providing permanent housing to homeless individuals as a primary solution before addressing other needs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% of donations used for projects and services
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Red LightningcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 October 2025Collaboration with Red Lightning organization to provide internet access and communication centers in 6 affected communities in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa. Solar panels, generators, and batteries were installed to enable connectivity in hard-to-reach areas.
• Fondation REPRminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEquivalent service provider in Western Switzerland for Angehört prison family support program. When Angehört's services are unavailable in French-speaking regions, clients are referred to Fondation REPR.
• The Salvation Army World Service OfficecoreOthersGlobal Salvation Army network coordinating international disaster response. The Jamaica chapter received support through this global network following Hurricane Melissa.
• Swiss Federal Government and CantonscoreOthersGovernment partners providing CHF 60 million in funding in 2025 for refugee aid, social services mandates, and shelter placements. Public funding covers operational costs of various social programs.
• EMS Le Phare-ElimminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner nursing home providing meals for the Solidarity Meals program in Vevey, allowing volunteers to focus on collection activities instead of food preparation.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Caritas Switzerland: Switzerland's largest humanitarian organization; operates shelters, refugee housing, social counseling, and family services nationwide with similar reliance on donations and government mandates. Direct mission and service-line overlap with Armée du Salut.
• Swiss Red Cross (Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz): National humanitarian and social services organization delivering health, migration, and social assistance programs across Switzerland. Comparable scale, ZEWO-certified funding model, and canton-level government contracts.
• Spitex Switzerland (Aide et soins à domicile): National association of nonprofit home care providers offering LAMal-covered nursing and basic care. Directly comparable to Armée du Salut's Soins à domicile OSAD in Neuchâtel canton.
• SOS Children's Villages Switzerland: Provides residential childcare, youth shelters, and family support services. Directly comparable to Armée du Salut's Paradies shelter and Foyers pour enfants et jeunes.
• Diakoniewerk Neumünster: Swiss Protestant social foundation operating sheltered housing, vocational integration, and senior care - structurally analogous to Armée du Salut's faith-based social service model.
• Pro Senectute: Leading Swiss foundation for elderly services, providing home help, day centers, and residential care. Comparable to Armée du Salut's EMS Le Foyer and home care (Soins à domicile) lines.
• Fondation REPR: Western Switzerland provider of support services for families of prisoners; cited partner for cross-referral in the Angehört program, making it a direct comparator in the prison-family niche.

Broad incumbents

• Heilsarmee Deutschland (Salvation Army Germany): German national arm of the same global Salvation Army network; operates similar shelters, workshops, and thrift stores - useful as a large-scale operational and funding benchmark.

Regional players

• Caritas Vaud: Cantonal Caritas affiliate operating food aid, housing support, and refugee programs in French-speaking Switzerland; competes in same Francophone service territory.

Emerging players

• Orphelin (Orphelinats et homes d'enfants): Swiss association of residential and daycare providers (curaviva) covering children's homes and EMS - sector-level peer and policy counterpart for Armée du Salut's residential lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfP8TyOqeRuWnc_AQ9HuzMA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ArmeeDuSalutSuisse
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fondation-de-l'arm-e-du-salut
• Instagraminstagram.com/heilsarmee.armeedusalut
• Xx.com/SwissRedshield

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Armee du Salut