Every winter, the Geneva Red Cross distributes Christmas baskets to the most vulnerable people in the canton. The baskets contain food and other items for the festive season, as well as gifts for children, who make up about half of the beneficiaries.
It was for these children that Crédit Agricole next bank and its employees decided to take action. Collection points were set up at the bank's head office and its branches in Geneva. Employees were able to drop off brand new gifts, wrapped and labelled according to age group. In total, Crédit Agricole next bank donated 40 gifts worth around CHF 800 to the Geneva Red Cross.
Although the Geneva Red Cross has been distributing Christmas baskets since 1953, the current context makes it more important than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic and its economic and social consequences have significantly increased the number of people in need. Last year, the number of baskets distributed doubled. This winter, that number will remain high as the pandemic and, more recently, the war in Ukraine continue to have a major impact.