{"id":20225,"date":"2026-09-10T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-10T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spheriq.ch\/blog\/?p=20225"},"modified":"2026-09-08T09:13:04","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T07:13:04","slug":"freiwillig-engagiert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spheriq.ch\/blog\/en\/freiwillig-engagiert\/","title":{"rendered":"Volunteering: Twelve People and Their Stories"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

2026 is the UN Year of Volunteers. To mark the occasion, Christoph Merian Verlag is publishing the book *Freiwillig engagiert*. Twelve profiles feature people from northwestern Switzerland who volunteer in various fields.<\/p>\n\n

They donate their time and expertise to support culture, their neighborhoods, social programs, the environment, or the fight against food waste. \u201cFreiwillig engagiert\u201d gives a voice to the people behind these efforts and shows just how diverse volunteer work can be. A foreword by Basel-based top chef and restaurateur Tanja Grandits, who herself volunteers with \u201cTischlein deck dich<\/a>,\u201d complements the profiles.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Andreas Keller at the “Tischlein deck dich” distribution center. Photo: Pati Grabowicz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Commitment That Brings People Together<\/h2>\n\n

The stories take us to very different places. Andreas Keller volunteers at the 1,000-square-meter logistics warehouse of \u201cTischlein deck dich.\u201d Now retired, the former grocery store clerk is dedicated to ensuring that food isn\u2019t thrown away but instead benefits people affected by poverty. He also finds it particularly important to interact with younger people and to have the opportunity to share his knowledge about food.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Koshika Yadava is involved in the \u201cz\u00e4mmehAlt\u201d project. Photo: Pati Grabowicz <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Koshika Yadava meets once a week at the home of an elderly woman who suffers from osteoporosis. The \u201cz\u00e4mmehAlt\u201d project run by GGG Benevol Basel<\/a> brought the two of them together. What began as a arranged companionship has since blossomed into a friendship. Koshika Yadava helps the woman run errands, but most of the time they simply chat over tea and croissants. Yadava says her volunteer work makes her feel human. Other profiles highlight volunteer work at the Repair Caf\u00e9, with the Liestal Guide Dog Program, at KIFF Aarau, and with HEKS\u2019s \u201cNeue G\u00e4rten\u201d initiative.<\/p>\n\n

Inspiring People to Get Involved<\/h2>\n\n

It\u2019s not just about what volunteers do for others. The profiles also show what volunteering gives the volunteers themselves: meaningful encounters, new perspectives, a sense of community, and the feeling that they can make a difference. \u201cVolunteering\u201d aims to highlight the diverse forms of volunteer work and inspire others to perhaps get involved themselves.<\/p>\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The book will be published in October 2026 to coincide with the Frankfurt Book Fair and will also be available as an e-book. Pre-order it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"2026 is the UN Year of Volunteers. To mark the occasion, Christoph Merian Verlag is publishing the book *Freiwillig engagiert*. Twelve profiles feature people from northwestern Switzerland who volunteer in various fields. They donate their time and expertise to support culture, their neighborhoods, social programs, the environment, or the fight against food waste. \u201cFreiwillig engagiert\u201d…","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":20222,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[573,1122,1198],"tags":[638],"post_label":[1090],"class_list":["post-20225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-from-the-sector","category-national-en-2","category-society","tag-volunteer","post_format-post-format-image","post_label-the-philanthropist"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nVolunteering: Twelve People and Their Stories - Spheriq-Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"2026 is the UN Year of Volunteers. To mark the occasion, Christoph Merian Verlag is publishing the book *Freiwillig engagiert*. 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