Fondation Mère Sofia

What Fondation Mère Sofia does

Fondation Mère Sofia is a Swiss nonprofit foundation established in 1992 and headquartered in Lausanne, Vaud, that delivers low-threshold social services to disadvantaged populations in the Lausanne region. Its operational portfolio is organized under sub-brands including La Soupe Populaire (food distribution), L'Échelle (reimagined in 2022), and Macadam (resumed in 2022, offered at CHF 25-120 per hour on a tiered basis); the foundation previously operated Le Rêpit and Le Parachute, with Le Rêpit closed in 2023. The foundation is led by Président Ada Marra (since 2011) and Directeur général Yan Desarzens (since 2012), supported by roughly 40 staff and a recurring volunteer base.

The foundation's revenue model blends public-sector mandates from Ville de Lausanne and Canton de Vaud with private donations and corporate sponsorship. Public communications indicate an annual operating budget on the order of CHF 1.5 million and a stated fundraising need of approximately CHF 1,000 per day in private donations to sustain operations. Service delivery is human-led, with no disclosed technology platform; the foundation's competitive position rests on its 30+ year brand, embedded relationships with public authorities, and a community ecosystem of donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries.

Strategically, the 2022-2023 period reflects a portfolio rationalization: closure of Le Rêpit was offset by the relaunch of L'Échelle and resumption of Macadam, while annual flagship fundraising events such as Course aux Sponsors have continued into 2026. Day-to-day execution remains focused on social-work service delivery rather than product or geographic expansion.

Name

Fondation Mère Sofia

Legal name

Fondation Mère Sofia

Website

https://meresofia.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fondation Mère Sofia is a Lausanne-based Swiss nonprofit founded in 1992 that delivers low-threshold social services (food aid, shelter, accompaniment) to disadvantaged populations via sub-brands including La Soupe Populaire, L'Échelle, and Macadam, funded by public mandates and private donations on a ~CHF 1.5M annual budget.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social and humanitarian services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (62419), Community Food Services (624210), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Assistance & Benefits Navigation Services (BPAGAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Food Assistance & Safety Nets (In-Kind, Vouchers, Cash Transfers) (BPADAJAA)

Keywords

• Social services
• Food assistance
• Homeless support
• Social reintegration
• Charitable foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

Lausanne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Private Donations: Direct financial support from private donors, individuals, and organizations. Multiple donation methods including Twint, bank transfer, and PayPal.
2. Public Mandates and Subsidies: Funding from Ville de Lausanne and Canton de Vaud for specific programs including L'Échelle and Macadam Services
3. Volunteer Contributions: Volunteers contribute thousands of hours annually to operations, particularly at La Soupe Populaire and L'Échelle
4. Macadam Service Fees: Fees charged for handy worker services (clearance, moving, gardening, painting, DIY) performed by beneficiaries. Rates: CHF 25-30/hour per person, CHF 90-120/hour for team with vehicle

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fondation Mère Sofia runs low-threshold social services for people in precarious situations in Lausanne. Its active offerings are La Soupe Populaire (free hot meals 365 days a year), L'Échelle (mobile social work and essential goods distribution), and Macadam (paid odd-job services that provide employment and social reintegration for people marginalized from the labor market). Services are unconditional, free of charge to beneficiaries, and funded by private donations, public grants, and Macadam service fees.

Product overview

Fondation Mère Sofia is a charitable foundation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, founded in 1992 to support people in need without discrimination. The organization operates a portfolio of social services including La Soupe Populaire (free daily meals), Macadam Services (job placement and reintegration through odd jobs), and L'Échelle (mobile social work and food distribution). The foundation previously operated Le Parachute (youth housing) and Le Répit (night shelter, closed 2023). Services are delivered through a low-threshold, non-discriminatory approach focused on dignity and social inclusion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• La Soupe Populaire: Free daily meal service open 365 days a year, serving hot meals in the evening and five lunches per week without conditions or registration.
• L'Échelle
• Macadam
• Le Répit

Products and services

• La Soupe Populaire Free daily hot meal service for people in precarious situations in Lausanne. Open 365 days a year: evening meals 19h30-21h30 every day, plus five midday meals per week (Wednesday to Sunday, 12h00-13h30). Located at Rue Saint-Martin 12, 1003 Lausanne. Unconditional, free, and no registration required.
• Macadam Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 230+ hot meals served daily at La Soupe Populaire
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FASL (Fondation pour l'Animation Socioculturelle Lausannoise)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with FASL for L'Échelle to operate in neighborhood houses and animation centers as a social kiosk with distribution of essential goods packages
• Lions Club Lausanne-BourgminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonated proceeds from fondue sale to support foundation activities
• Lions Club LavauxminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganized traditional Christmas tree sales with proceeds supporting the foundation
• BCV (Banque Cantonale Vaudoise)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupported Kit de Survie sales events with volunteers and resources
• Chacun pour TousminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood collection initiative for organizations active in food aid and support for disadvantaged people in French-speaking Switzerland
• ICYE (International Cultural Youth Exchange)minorOthersOrganized volunteer placements including a 12-month voluntariat at the foundation starting April 2021

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Suisse: National umbrella organization for Caritas in Switzerland, operating across all cantons with food aid, asylum support, and family services. Provides the broader Swiss context in which Vaud-level peers (including Fondation Mère Sofia) operate.
• Croix-Rouge suisse: Swiss Red Cross operates cantonal branches providing health, social, and integration services nationwide. Comparable on social-assistance mission and funding profile (donations + public mandates), with much broader scale.

Direct peers

• Emmaüs Suisse: Swiss federation of Emmaüs communities combining solidarity economy (collecting/selling donated goods) with social reintegration and housing. Closely comparable to Macadam's reintegration-through-work approach.
• Caritas Vaud: Regional branch of Caritas Switzerland operating in Vaud canton, providing social assistance, food aid, and integration programs for vulnerable populations in the same Lausanne catchment area as Fondation Mère Sofia.
• Centre Social Protestant (CSP) Vaud: Ecumenical NGO providing social assistance, legal advice, asylum support, and emergency aid in Vaud. Overlaps directly with L'Échelle's mobile social work and beneficiary follow-up functions in Lausanne.
• Banque Alimentaire Vaud: Vaud food bank collecting and redistributing food to social organizations including Fondation Mère Sofia. Operates an adjacent part of the food-assistance value chain targeting the same beneficiary base.
• Point d'Eau Lausanne: Lausanne-based association providing low-threshold services including food, hygiene facilities, and shelter for homeless and vulnerable populations. Directly comparable to Fondation Mère Sofia on geography, target population, and unconditional service delivery model.
• Armée du Salut Suisse (Lausanne region): Swiss Salvation Army operates shelters, soup services, and social reintegration programs in Lausanne and across Switzerland. Directly comparable in operating model (low-threshold food/shelter services) and beneficiary population.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FondationMereSofia
• Instagraminstagram.com/fondationmeresofia/?hl=fr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Fondation Mère Sofia