Helping those who find it hard to make ends meet

A staggering two million tonnes of food is thrown away every years in Switzerland. On the other hand, there are needy people here who could not get by without being able to buy cheap food from a distribution centre in Baar set up by a charity.

In charge of the centre is Yolanda Fässler, who has worked there since the outset 15 years ago. Every day she has to consider whether, for example, these cucumbers are still fit to eat or whether this batch of loaves is too hard. Officially Fässler’s job description is head of recycling at the GGZ charity organisation which operates in a number of areas in Zug, not least in helping with the unemployed. It is on Tuesdays between 5 pm and 6 pm that people in need, some 120 of them, double if you include their families, can go along to number 46b in Altgasse in Baar to buy food for a nominal fee of CHF 1.

The food available is fresh and of good quality; it is not allowed to sell it on after its sell-by date, something which Fässler finds quite a challenge.

As the 53-year-old took the journalist who wrote this article through the premises, she showed her the second-hand clothes shop and the room where they are sorted out and washed, and then led her into a store room where boxes of bars of chocolate and trays of canned drinks are piled up. The GGZ@Work charity has been acquiring food for distribution to these centres, 17 in all in central Switzerland, since 2012 now, with most of the food coming from the large retailers. “However, we are also supplied by local businesses such as fruit and vegetable producers and bakeries,” she added. “We just have to be satisfied with what we can get; sometimes we get yoghurts and the next week biscuits, though there is always enough bread.”

Even though food waste and recycling are not uncommon topics these days, the organisation still finds it difficult to acquire food. Fässler, a former eatery landlady, finds it almost unbelievable that some two million tonnes of food is thrown away each year in Switzerland, half of it from private households. Fortunately, from time to time, individuals also help. “In the run-up to last Christmas, one lady gave us a sack of spaghetti and on one occasion we were given ten litres of milk which had been mistakenly bought by someone who thought it was lactose-free.”
In addition to Fässler, some people between jobs are given employment there by the GGZ@Work charity, not least when one considers how much more work there is to do at these distribution centres. “When we started off, we used to have between 30 and 40 people make use of it, but now there are four times as many,” she said, adding that she also knew exactly how many people there were in each household which benefits. “We do our best to distribute it all fairly,” she stressed, “though we do not get much pasta, flour and salt and such like in Baar; retailers can calculate exactly how much they need of these non-perishable foods they want. On the other hand, we do get drinks and sweets, things which those who come here could not afford to buy.”

Those who come along to the centre are very often the working poor, those who, despite having a job, find it difficult to make ends meet. Others are those receiving social benefit or asylum-seekers. All of them have to show a card, duly stamped by the authorities. “There are others out there who really need such help, but are too ashamed to apply,” revealed Fässler.    

Despite having worked with the organisation for 15 years, Fässler carries out her duties with a ready smile and always looks forward to coming to work. “It has not always been easy, though.” she confessed, “I had to learn to switch off.”

As mentioned, the centre celebrates its 15^th anniversary this year, though no money is to be spent on celebrations. However, Fässler has been given a certificate. Not that she is seeking any other reward. “I have been involved in it since the outset. I feel I am doing something useful, which is why I feel I have found my niche here.”