Welcome to Serve the City Geneva!

Welcome to those who are with us for a long time, and to the newcomers!

While you are reading this, STCG is coming on strong with the biggest event of the year: Samedi du Partage!

You can learn about the project on our website “Our Partners” or directly on https://www.partage.ch/en/.

The Upcoming Big Event – Samedi du Partage

The weekend of Thanksgiving, Friday the 28 and Saturday the 29 of November, we’ll take part in one of Geneva’s most important community efforts – Samedi du Partage! Serve the City has booked 8 stores across Geneva, Versoix, and Chavannes, and we’ll need around 100 volunteers to help collect food and basic necessities for those in need.

For those who haven’t participated before: over 90 stores across the canton invite shoppers to donate food and hygiene items during this event. Thanks to this effort, more than 2000 people and associations, which are important for the community life, are supported for six months – a remarkable impact!

For those who participate for some time now: same procedure as every year!

Sign-ups are open, choose store and time slot. In case you must cancel, please sign out as soon as possible so another volunteer can take your place.

Usual projects

“Jardin de Montbrillant” Soup Kitchen

Each week, from Tuesday to Saturday, volunteers help provide over 250 free lunches a day. On some days extra help is needed – please sign up, regularly or occasionally, to ensure we have a full team each week. Your presence truly makes a difference! The Jardin de Montbrillant soup kitchen is situated behind the train station; rue de Montbrillant 3, 1201 Genève.

The special zoo of “Bioparc”

Bioparc is a place for animals, like a zoo, but with a special attention to their needs regarding natural habitat, food, care and privacy. Our monthly visits to the Bioparc (former Parc Challandes) are greatly appreciated by the staff, the community, and even the animals! Thank you for your continued dedication to this special project; and for those who do not mind getting dirty and can manage a shovel and a hammer, there is always a place for you in our dynamic team!

Serving with Clair-Bois

We have also enjoyed another great season working with Fondation Clair-Bois across their five different locations. The staff and the residents have expressed deep gratitude for our service. Clair-Bois is an important institution in Geneva that takes care of persons with multiple disabilities. Despite all the challenges, they have outings and parties, in which STCG plays a big role for several years. These events are greatly appreciated by volunteers and residents alike.

Serve the Servers Dinner – Save the Date!

We are excited to announce our Serve the Servers Dinner on Friday 12 December at the Refettorio Restaurant!

This special evening is our way to thank all our volunteers on behalf of Serve the City Geneva and our partner organizations. It’s also a chance to meet our team, celebrate our shared work, and hear about the 20th Anniversary Serve the City Forum recently held in Brussels with over 150 participants representing 33 cities from around the world!

Serve the City Geneva is entering its 15th year of service, and we would love for you to celebrate with us.

Who’s invited?

All STC volunteers who have served and earned their red shirt!

If you help during Samedi du Partage, you will receive your red shirt and an invitation to the dinner!

If you haven’t had the chance to volunteer yet, you can still participate – by signing up to help serve the dinner or assist as a sous-chef that evening (and earn your red shirt on the spot!).

Welcome New Volunteers!

Thrilled to welcome all the new faces that have joined Serve the City Geneva in the past two months! Thank you for stepping up to make a difference. We look forward to serving alongside you soon!

As we approach the holiday season, many exciting things are happening at Serve the City! We know the holidays will be busy for everyone, but we hope you can still find a moment to help those who are less fortunate before you go skiing or travel.

Warm regards, your STCG team

P.S. A gentle reminder: if you sign up for a project, please show up – or sign out if your plans change. At least, call the local coordinator for the event. Our partners rely on us to deliver what we promise, and reliability is one of our greatest strengths as a community.

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The project for a new Bioparc in Belle-Idée, submitted to the authorities after undergoing extensive administrative procedures since 2022, is being questioned by these same authorities.

The biodome is particularly targeted due to its ostentatious nature; we have been asked to rethink the project and scale it down. However, its organic structure and its exterior and interior design are the result of extensive research conducted over two years. The biodome and the entire park were designed with our architects, supported by animal welfare specialists, and in consultation with all the Bioparc partners.

The New Bioparc project meets the needs of the animals, the people who care for them, and all the people who visit, enjoy, or work in this unique and beloved institution. It must also generate essential revenue to fulfill its missions, which remain non-profit and of public utility.

We ask the cantonal authorities to grant permission to build the project as it corresponds to the needs of the New Biopark

Why is it important?

We need the support of everyone who visits or enjoys the activities at Bioparc Genève. If you love our animal shelter and want it to remain in Geneva and continue its missions:

biodiversity conservation

reception of animals in distress due to abandonment or illegal detention

educational activities

animal-assisted intervention (zootherapy)

study, research, and training

public awareness

culture

Now is the time to help us realize our project for a new Bioparc and let the relevant authorities know by signing the petition.

Anyone can sign a petition regardless of their age, nationality, or place of residence.

How to translate the petitions

We will deliver the petition to the cantonal authorities in person.

Dear friends and volunteers

As we step into May, we’re already looking ahead to a very exciting and impactful June. We’d like to take this opportunity to share two important upcoming events, along with ongoing opportunities where you can make a meaningful difference in our community.

Looking Ahead

• Samedi du Partage – June 13 & 14

One of the biggest and most rewarding projects of the year is nearly here! Samedi du Partage, Geneva’s large-scale food collection initiative, returns on June 13 and 14, and Serve the City is proud to be participating once again.

Each year, this project collects approximately 400 tons of donated goods across 90 participating stores in Geneva. The donations support 90 local institutions that provide essential services to those in need.

This year, Serve the City will be serving at eight different store locations, and we’re calling on our amazing community of volunteers to sign up early! In total, 2,400 volunteers take part in this citywide initiative—Serve the City is providing 100 of those. We sincerely hope that includes you!

Early registration is essential to ensure we have enough hands on deck. Please consider signing up soon and being part of something truly impactful.

• Claire Bois 50th Anniversary Events – June & September

We are also thrilled to support our long-standing partner, Claire Bois, a center for youth and adults with multiple disabilities. This year, Claire Bois celebrates 50 years of dedicated service in Geneva, and Serve the City is honored to be involved in their celebrations for the past 14 years.

We will be assisting at four events, helping with setup, clean-up, general support, and offering a cheerful presence to the children, families, and staff. The dates for these events are:

• June 5, 13, 19  and the big annual party that will take place on September 6 (a Family celebration)

The September event is particularly special, and we’ve been helping with it for over five years.  It’s a joyful day full of gratitude and support for families who face daily challenges with strength and love.

Event details and sign-up information will be available on our website soon.

We are looking for a project leader to look after the project and volunteers for both the 13th and 19th of June. if interested please indicate your interest in the comment section when you sign up.

Other ongoing projects include:

• Jardin de Montbrillant Soup Kitchen

It is with profound sadness that we share Ridwan’s passing with you.  Ridwan was a key person for STCG, leading our support of the Jardin de Montbrillant soup kitchen for many years.  He had a gift for contact with people, knew and engaged with everyone and would welcome the customers in many languages.  He guided and welcomed us too, the volunteers, inspiring us with his kindness, wisdom and humour.  He was a bright light in everyone’s lives. In December 2023, he was even awarded a certificate at a ceremony at the British Embassy in Berne for his charity work during the Queen’s platinum Jubilee. We will miss his smile, his laugh, his insightful views on life, politics, his love for garlic, his friendship.  May his soul rest in peace.

Serve the City continues to serve at the Montbrillant Soup Kitchen four days a week all year long. Volunteers can sign up for dates that suit them, and final confirmation will come from the project manager.

• Bioparc

For those unfamiliar with this project, more details about the Bioparc and how to get involved will be shared soon. It’s another fantastic way to connect with nature and support meaningful local initiatives.

Over the past 7 years, more than 1,200 people have generously offered their time to help make Bioparc the best sustainable animal park in Geneva—perhaps even in all of Switzerland. From moving logs, sand, and wood chips to pruning trees and helping with landscaping, it has been both a pleasure and an honour to be part of this journey with you all.

On behalf of Angela, the Bioparc team, and the Geneva community, thank you!!! Your support has been instrumental in shaping Bioparc into what it is today.

• Join Us

As we look toward these events, we encourage early signups so we can plan effectively and ensure the success of each initiative. Your involvement truly makes a difference.

Thank you for being part of Serve the City Geneva. Together, we continue to bring hope, help, and heart to the community.

Warm regards,

The Serve the City Geneva Team

 L’Arche la Corolle community, founded in 1983 in Versoix, works to support people with intellectual disabilities and currently welcomes 42 adults into its homes and workshops. It is looking to fill the following volunteer positions (French speaking)

L’ Arche La Corolle recherche : une Présidente ou un Président bénévole pour son association, 15 à 20 heures/mois sur 10 mois.

Une Présidente ou un Président bénévole

L’ Arche La Corolle recherche : une Trésorière ou un Trésorier pour son association bénévole, 10 à 12 heures/mois sur 10 mois.

Une Trésorière ou un Trésorier bénévole