Donating your time or money
Christmas is the time of year when we count our blessings and think about others less fortunate than ourselves.
A number of local and international charities in the Grand Duchy run support programmes for people (and animals) where you can donate money, clothing, equipment or your time.
For Christmas
During winter, Caritas, together with the Red Cross and Inter- Action, provides shelter, medical services and hot food to the homeless in Luxembourg via the WanterAktioun programme.
You can donate or give materials - they currently have a shortage of clothing for young men and winter jackets and shoes for women and children, or become a volunteer.
The Red Cross has helped more than 670,000 people since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict. They are in the process of distributing a further 90,000 tons of boxes to inhabitants of Nikolavka in the Donetsk region to help them have a warm Christmas. In addition to donating, you can also rent your property to a refugee if it is vacant.
Working in conjunction with the Red Cross and Caritas in Luxembourg, Ukrainians.lu are looking for volunteers to help with fundraising events, refugee support or supply packages destined for the Ukraine. You'll need to fill in this form, and then you'll be contacted. If you have items in a reasonable condition that you can donate, you can contact Free stuff for refugees from Ukraine in Luxembourg (particularly furniture or toys and books) or this Facebook page which also calls for host families.
Unfortunately more accidents and emergencies occur during the festive season, so you can also support The Red Cross by donating blood. You can find more about this in our article here. There is also a Christmas donation catalogue with options to give as little as €15 for chocolate for vulnerable children to €428 to protect children with a shelter in Burkina Faso.
Fondation Partage Luxembourg supports some 15 projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Their Christmas campaign invites you to donate as a gift. The recipient will get a card made from seed paper, which contains flower seeds, and the recipient is invited to plant these seeds. Donations are tax deductable. The foundation is also hosting a market for International Solidarity Day (in conjunction with other charities) on the afternoon of 20 December.
The American Women's Club of Luxembourg organises Gifts for Kids, which brings presents to children living in Luxembourg foyers. In 2020, some 1,100 children received presents via this volunteer-run project. Look out for Christmas trees hung with paper ornaments with a gift wish from a child (from Cactus Belle Etoile). If you want to participate, simply remove the ornament and donate the cost of the gift (don't buy it). AWCL will purchase all the presents and deliver them to the foyers. The trees will be up until the beginning of January.
Local charities
Stëmm vun der Strooss
Founded in 1996, and possibly Luxembourg's best known charity, Stëmm vun der Strooss works towards the social and professional integration of underprivileged or discriminated people living in Luxembourg.
A non-profit organisation co-ordinated by the Ministry of Health and working in collaboration with the Red Cross, it provided almost 100,000 hot meals to 4,149 people in 2021 at its social restaurants in Hollerich and Esch-sur-Alzette and distributes 92 tonnes of free food products.
It also gives free medical consultations, provides integration and skills workshops, and therapeutic accommodation, and recently opened a new social restaurant in Ettelbruck, for which it needs funding to cover restoration work. You can donate money for hot meals or clothes, and give your time as a volunteer.
Serve the City
Serve the City is a movement of volunteers that believes that many people doing small things together can make a big difference. It creates events that mobilise volunteers through sports, music, arts, meals, friendship and more. You can join the street team who work with Stëmm vun der Stross to bring food and drinks to homeless people in Luxembourg. Or you can volunteer for the many sport, kids, movie or other programmes they run.
Digital inclusion Luxembourg
Digital Inclusion is a non-profit social project that sets out to make information technology available to everyone in Luxembourg. You can donate old laptops and smart phones for use in their social workshops or for distribution to people in Luxembourg who cannot afford these devices.
The project organises computer classes in eight different languages to provide digital skills to those seeking employment. These projects are run by volunteers, and you can join them or find out how to donate items here.
Animal and nature support
ASA trains and provides assistance dogs for those with disabilities in Luxembourg including homes and day care centres.
If you love animals then Natur & ëmwelt need people to help with their animals as carers, transporters and plenty more. They’re also on the lookout for volunteers interested in getting involved in children’s educational activities or to work at information stands, and they are happy to receive financial donations.
The animal shelter in Gasperich, Déierenasyl, provides shelter and adoption services for dogs and cats, and accepts donations. You can also volunteer to walk dogs kept at the shelter.
There are a number of other dog, cat and pet places that rely on charity and volunteers. You'll find a full list in our article on Getting a Pet.
Kriibs Krank Kanner
For 30 years, this foundation has been helping children from Luxembourg to fight cancer or a rare life-threatening disease. Work is done to improve the psychological and physical condition of the children and their families, from diagnosis through to remission, including administrative and financial aspects, as well as therapeutic and recreational activities.
The charity also works to promote awareness of childhood cancer and defend children's rights, supporting research projects. It is exclusively funded by donations.
Make a wish (Kanner Wonsch)
A charity that grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions, Kanner Wonsch operates with the support of 60 or so volunteers and welcomes new ones from all backgrounds. You can make tax exempt donations here.
Schrëtt fir Schrëtt
Bringing the Peto system to children with disabilities in Luxembourg, Schrëtt fir Schrëtt relies on donations to buy equipment. Its system enables children with physical disabilities to live full lives, learning things that will reduce the effects of their disabilities, and maximise independence.
The Insight Project
A Luxembourgish association that helps the victims of human trafficking and abuse, including children. It provides support in the form of food and essential items, particularly when victims are left homeless. It also has as a mission working with young people to educate them on how to avoid sexual abuse online.
ELA Luxembourg
Leukodystrophy is a critically debilitating genetic disease that affects children around the world every day. ELA Luxembourg (European Association against Leukodystrophies) was created in 2006 and fights to raise awareness of the disease and fund research programmes. In 2015 an international section was also created and ELA now exists in several countries. To date, €45 million has been used to finance more than 500 programmes in addition to providing support to families and sick children.
Tricentenaire
Tricentenaire provides day-to-day assistance for people with disabilities including accommodation, activities in specialised centres, aid, care and psychosocial and therapeutic support, training, sport and leisure activities as well as social integration.
Projects include the Heart chocolate bar and 321 Vakanz offering accessible holidays for those with disabilities. These services are partly funded by the state and carried out in collaboration with the individuals seeking help and their families. You can donate by bank transfer, digicash, standing order or buy online products.
Mir wëllen iech ons Heemecht weisen
(We want to show you our homeland) is a nonprofit organisation based in Luxembourg aiming at stimulating intercultural dialogue. Based on the principle that "we show you our culture, you show us yours", it coordinates a programme of cultural events and workshops for the local population and refugees, inside and outside centres for refugees. Donations can be made online.
Fondation Autisme Luxembourg (FAL)
Initially started by parents, today the FAL runs a number of homes, two day care centres offering different workshops for those on the autism spectrum, in addition to a number of holiday camps and leisure activities for those in both the residential homes but also children living with their families.
FAL also runs a diagnostic assessment centre and provides assistance to families through training, home help and other support services. They also provide support to those with Asperger syndrome and training to people outside the organisation as well as promoting the autism spectrum messages to the general public to improve awareness and understanding of it.
Today FAL has 144 staff spread over its sites in Capellen, Munhausen and Rambrouch and is a member of Autism-Europe. You can also donate, or volunteer.
International charities
The Red Cross
In addition to donations, volunteers and materials to help those in the Ukraine, or refugees from war, The Red Cross runs the Iris project to support isolated people, especially the elderly, providing day care services and volunteers to visit and spend time with them.
The Red Cross also runs a blood donation centre, childcare centres, and supports the bereaved, migrants, refugees and sex workers in Luxembourg, in addition to sponsoring several international projects.
You can choose to donate from their gifts catalogue which includes everything from winter boots, activities for refugee children, or drinking water for two children throughout their schooling.
Caritas
In Luxembourg, Caritas supports vulnerable people including single-parent families, children and young people, migrants and refugees, disadvantaged people, the homeless or those with precarious housing or income. Caritas Luxembourg offers assistance through emergency housing, integration through work, psychosocial assistance and help with housing or food aid.
In addition to the WanterAktioun programme, Caritas provides support based on individual needs and you can view the many projects they run including art spaces for the homeless and StreetFootball. You can donate, give materials or become a volunteer.
If you’re interested in human rights, then Amnesty Luxembourg is always looking for donations and volunteers, and those seeking to support environmental campaigns can donate or contact Greenpeace Luxembourg.
For more information about volunteering in Luxembourg, read this article.
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