Our history

Since 2008, people in need have been receiving a bag full of food and everyday products free of charge every Tuesday. What started as a small project in 2008 now forms the basis for a comprehensive and diverse range of services for the less fortunate in the Basel region: Free food distribution, a second-hand boutique, social services, integration assistance and (pre-)Christmas events – all brought together under the DaN Basel organization. The current number of clients supported makes DaN Basel the largest single project of its kind in north-western Switzerland.

Small things done with love change the world

We started in August 2008 with five bags full of food, packed with donated food and common products. Today, we distribute up to 680 bags per week, still packed fully thanks to the support of many private donors and organisations such as Schweizer Tafel and Tischlein deck dich.

As the number of bags of food distributed increased, so did the range of services offered to people in need. In addition, clients receive support in regular life (finding accommodation, help with moving) and integration assistance (language courses, assistance with official issues). Many conversations led to a genuine bond with people in need and the desire to provide even more support and appreciation.

The change can no longer be stopped

In addition to the weekly distribution of bags of food, since 2010 we have been inviting people who are in need, especially families with children, to a big Christmas party. Most recently, two years ago, the DaN boutique was added as a further service, a weekly clothing boutique for people in material distress.

Everybody can play

The organisation has also grown since then. More than 120 volunteers now support the individual DaN projects, around 40 of whom are themselves poverty-stricken. We got to know and appreciate them through the food distribution at DaN Basel. People in distress with few social contacts have become teammates – helpful, reliable and responsible.

With the founding of the non-profit, non-denominational association DaN Basel in August 2014, the course was set to professionalise the expanding organisation.