Winterhilfe Schweiz * Secours Suisse d'hiver * Soccorso svizzero d'inverno

What Winterhilfe Schweiz * Secours Suisse d'hiver * Soccorso svizzero d'inverno does

Winterhilfe Schweiz (Secours Suisse d'hiver / Soccorso svizzero d'inverno) is a Swiss nonprofit humanitarian organization founded in 1936 that provides direct material and financial assistance to individuals and families living in poverty in Switzerland. Its service mix includes direct cash grants, approximately 3,000 clothing packages per year, school equipment (CHF 200,000+ deployed in 2024/2025), household goods via the Kidz Cargo partnership, and a dedicated Empowerment program for children that enabled 2,500+ children in 2024/2025. The organization reached 47,000+ beneficiaries in the 2024/2025 reporting period.

The organization operates a federated delivery model: a central secretariat in Zurich coordinates 27 cantonal and regional organizations, with a logistics warehouse in Emmen. Distribution is 100% donation-funded — there is no commercial revenue, contracted service revenue, or government appropriation. The primary fundraising surfaces are individual donations, institutional partnerships (Roger Federer Foundation, Laureus Sport for Good, SSO Zürich for dental care, Inner Wheel, HARWY), and the winterhilfe.ch BIRNEL online shop, which sells charitable products directly to consumers. The organization is ZEWO-certified, which provides the governance and transparency standard that underwrites Swiss donor trust and tax deductibility.

Operations are supported by a 28-person central secretariat plus cantonal staff, with a volunteer base that extends the organization's reach. Valérie Grücter took over as Managing Director on January 1, 2026, marking a formal leadership transition. The 2026 calendar is anchored by the organization's 90th anniversary, which is being leveraged as a catalyst for renewed partnership activity and public-positioning work. There is no proprietary technology platform; the operating model is human-relationship-driven and location-distributed rather than digitally native.

Name

Winterhilfe Schweiz * Secours Suisse d'hiver * Soccorso svizzero d'inverno

Legal name

Winterhilfe Schweiz

Website

https://winterhilfe.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Winterhilfe Schweiz is a 100% donation-funded Swiss nonprofit founded in 1936 that provides direct material and financial aid to people in poverty through 27 cantonal organizations, supporting over 47,000 beneficiaries in 2024/2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Social Services

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC)

Keywords

• Emergency assistance
• Charitable poverty relief
• Social welfare services
• Humanitarian material aid
• Donation-funded support

Headquarters

HQ city

Zurich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Private Donations (Individual): Individuals donate money to Winterhilfe. The organization runs seasonal fundraising campaigns (spring, summer, autumn, winter). Donation amounts examples: CHF 50 funds one month of music/sports lessons for a child; CHF 80 feeds a 4-person family for a week; CHF 100 funds a clothing package.
2. Corporate and Institutional Partnerships: Companies, foundations, and institutional donors (e.g., Inner Wheel, Dr. Hermann Schmidhauser Stiftung, Laureus Stiftung Schweiz, Roger Federer Foundation, CSS Stiftung) provide targeted funding for specific programs or projects.
3. Sales of Winterhilfe-BIRNEL (Pear Concentrate): Winterhilfe-BIRNEL, a pear juice concentrate ('Honig der Armen'), is sold to raise funds. It is available for purchase during office hours and via the online shop, supporting the organization's charitable mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Winterhilfe Schweiz is a Swiss non-profit charitable organization that provides free emergency material aid and financial assistance to individuals and families living at the existential minimum in Switzerland. Core offerings include customized clothing packages, beds/mattresses/bedding, school and kindergarten equipment, children's empowerment programs enabling participation in music and sports hobbies, and coverage of urgent healthcare costs (dental, glasses, insurance premiums, deductibles). The organization is funded 100% by donations and operates through 27 cantonal branches covering all Swiss cantons.

Product overview

Winterhilfe Schweiz is a charitable organization providing emergency aid and support services to people living at the poverty line in Switzerland. Founded in 1936, the organization operates through 27 cantonal branches and is funded entirely by donations. Its core offerings include natural goods (clothing packages, beds/mattresses, school equipment), financial assistance for urgent bills (healthcare costs, dental treatments), and children's empowerment programs (Empowerment Musik & Sport enabling children to participate in extracurricular activities). The organization also sells Winterhilfe-BIRNEL, a pear juice concentrate product, as a fundraising mechanism. Services are provided year-round (not just in winter), covering spring, summer, autumn, and winter needs. Each assistance request is reviewed for eligibility and whether other organizations (e.g., social services) should be responsible for assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Winterhilfe-BIRNEL: Pear concentrate product (Birnel) sold to support the organization, nicknamed 'Honig der Armen' (honey of the poor).

Products and services

• Kleiderpakete (Clothing Packages)
• Betten, Matratzen, Bettwäsche (Beds, Mattresses, Bedding)
• Schul- und Kindergartenausrüstungen (School and Kindergarten Equipment)
• Empowerment Musik & Sport (Children's Empowerment Program)
• Gesundheitskosten (Healthcare Costs Support)
• Winterhilfe-BIRNEL
• Lebensmittelhilfe (Food Assistance)

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 47,000 people supported annually with natural goods and urgent bill payments (2024/2025)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SSO Zürich (Schweizerische Zahnärzte-Gesellschaft)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Winterhilfe Zürich and SSO Zürich combined expertise in May 2026 to ensure that clients in need receive correct and quality dental treatment, bundling professional knowledge for improved access to dentistry.
• Dispensaire des Rues (Neuchâtel)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Local Neuchâtel organization providing free nursing and hygiene services to people in need. Winterhilfe Schweiz visited on team day 2026 to learn about their operations.
• HARWYminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership for the 90th anniversary, including a 'Hopp Schwiiz' jersey promotion in 2026, with joint fundraising activities.
• ALDI SuisseminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership for food assistance. ALDI Suisse and Winterhilfe entered a new food assistance collaboration in November 2021.
• Swiss Football LeagueminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Swiss Football League dedicated its theme week (Themenwoche) in November 2019 to Winterhilfe, raising awareness and funds for the organization.
• Roger Federer FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint children's empowerment program supporting extracurricular activities for disadvantaged children. The foundation co-funded and personally supports the program, including events such as a circus visit for 269 children in May 2018 with personal attendance by Roger Federer.
• Laureus Stiftung SchweizcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor supporter of the 'Empowerment Sport' program for children, which enables disadvantaged children to participate in sports activities.
• Tischlein deck dichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with food redistribution organization. Winterhilfe's engagement enables Tischlein deck dich to expand its food assistance offerings.
• Stiftung REKA-FerienhilfecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration enables families in need to take vacation breaks from daily life, providing respite and social inclusion for families living under financial stress.
• Stiftung Tierschutz beider BaselminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeven-year ongoing project: Winterhilfe Basel-Stadt, in cooperation with Stiftung Tierschutz beider Basel, provides pet food for poverty-affected pet owners. ~177 distributions to 74 households over several months.
• Caritas NeuchâtelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCaritas Neuchâtel's solidarity space was visited by Winterhilfe Schweiz on its 2026 team day. Local cooperation between Winterhilfe and Caritas in Neuchâtel.
• Deutscher Hilfsverein ZürichminorOthersWinterhilfe Schweiz is a partner of the Deutscher Hilfsverein Zürich, a German aid association based in Zurich.
• ZEWO (Swiss seal of quality for charitable organizations)coreOthersZEWO is the Swiss certification body for charitable organizations. All 27 cantonal Winterhilfe offices and Winterhilfe Schweiz carry the ZEWO quality seal, certifying purposeful, economical, and effective use of donations, transparent reporting, independent control structures, and honest communication.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Direct peers

• Caritas Schweiz: Switzerland's largest charitable organization, providing social welfare, poverty relief, and emergency assistance across cantons. Directly comparable to Winterhilfe Schweiz in mission, beneficiary profile, and multi-canton delivery model.
• Tischlein deck dich: Swiss food aid organization providing meals to families in need. Listed as Winterhilfe's active partner in food assistance, operating in the same beneficiary segment and distribution channels.
• Pro Senectute Schweiz: Swiss foundation for elderly welfare, providing financial assistance and services to seniors in need. Comparable to Winterhilfe's elderly poverty program, addressing similar beneficiary segment and cantonal distribution model.
• Pro Juventute: Swiss foundation dedicated to children's welfare, including the "Frohe Kinder"-style programs that subsidize extracurricular activities for low-income children. Directly competes with Winterhilfe's Empowerment Musik/Sport programs for the same donor pool and beneficiary segments.
• Schweizer Tafel: Swiss food redistribution charity collecting surplus food and distributing it to people in need. Directly comparable to Winterhilfe's food assistance program and overlapping with partner Tischlein deck dich.
• Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz (Swiss Red Cross): National humanitarian organization delivering emergency aid, health services, and social support across all Swiss cantons. Overlaps with Winterhilfe in material aid, health-cost support, and cantonal service delivery for vulnerable populations.
• HEKS Hilfswerk der Evangelischen Kirchen Schweiz: Swiss church-affiliated aid organization providing poverty relief, integration programs, and emergency assistance. Comparable to Winterhilfe in serving low-income families and individuals at the existential minimum across Switzerland.

Emerging players

• SOS Kinderdorf Schweiz: Swiss organization supporting children and families in difficult circumstances. Comparable in the children's welfare segment where Winterhilfe's Empowerment programs operate, though focused on residential care rather than extracurricular subsidies.

Broad incumbents

• Stiftung Kinderhilfe des Schweizerischen Roten Kreuzes: Children's welfare foundation within the Swiss Red Cross ecosystem. Competes for institutional funding supporting disadvantaged children in Switzerland, similar to Winterhilfe's Empowerment and school equipment programs.

Regional players

• Caritas Neuchâtel: Cantonal Caritas organization in Neuchâtel, hosting social services that overlap with Winterhilfe Neuchâtel. Comparable as a regional peer operating in the same cantonal aid delivery ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Winterhilfe
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLpz_Qb3zol4uLjokA9E6qw722qxcx7ZXJ
• Facebookfacebook.com/Winterhilfe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/winterhilfe-schweiz
• Instagramlinktr.ee/Winterhilfe

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries27 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 Winterhilfe Schweiz * Secours Suisse d'hiver * Soccorso svizzero d'inverno