2023 - 2025
Foodwaste Prevention
Approach
Customers can obtain food at more than 160 distribution points throughout the country. To do so, they need a Tischlein deck dich customer card. These cards are issued exclusively by private or public social services. They check the financial circumstances of those affected and ensure that only people who are experiencing financial hardship receive a customer card. The food is collected by Tischlein deck dich from product donors in the retail, industrial and agricultural sectors and processed in a regional logistics warehouse. There, fruit and vegetables are prepared, and the entire range is made available for distribution points, tailored to the number of customers who pick up food at each distribution point. Delivery is carried out using the organization's own refrigerated vehicles. New volunteers at the distribution points are introduced, trained and equipped.
Story
Finally independent again
50-year-old Tanja* is one of the customers who makes use of the food distribution service.
There is a bustle of activity at the Tischlein deck dich distribution point in Frauenfeld, where volunteers are preparing rescued food for distribution. The distribution point on Grabenstrasse opened in October 2023 as the second Tischlein deck dich location in Frauenfeld. The volunteers are a well coordinated team – everyone knows what to do. The atmosphere is focused, yet cheerful and upbeat. The first customers arrive right on time for opening. At the front of the queue is Tanja, 50 years old. At first, she seems rather reserved and withdrawn.
While lovingly stroking her dog, she talks about her life. Tanja suffers from an illness that causes her severe pain and in the past she was confined to a wheelchair. «I couldn't manage on my own, so I was in a residential care home», she explains. A year and a half ago, she was able to return home.
Since then, Tanja has been a customer of Tischlein deck dich. She always arrives at the distribution point at the same time, either by bus or on foot. Tanja lives on disability benefits and now has to pay for her own meals again. Tischlein deck dich helps to ease the strain on her tight household budget. She is very grateful for the food and is particularly happy about the fresh vegetables for Thai curry – her favourite dish. «I actually enjoy cooking, but I haven't been able to do it much because of my illness», explains Tanja.
Tanja spends a lot of her free time with her dog. The Maltese has only been part of her life for seven months but Tanja is already an experienced dog owner: «I always used to have dogs – until I had to move into a care home and it was no longer possible.» It is clear that her heart beats for these lovable four-legged friends and that they give her strength. «I hope my health remains stable,» says Tanja about her future. All the more reason for her to enjoy spending time with her dog and making her favourite dishes with food that’s been saved rather than thrown away.
Copyright Images ©Tischlein deck dich
Impact
In 2024, Tischlein deck dich celebrated its 25th anniversary
8,350 tonnes of food were saved from waste in its anniversary year
160 distribution points are located throughout Switzerland
5 new distribution points were opened in 2024, providing weekly food support to 170 families (a total of 500 people)
Partner
Vision
The vision of «Tischlein deck dich» is to save perfectly good food that would otherwise be thrown away and distribute it to people who are affected by poverty in Lichtenstein. In order to make a socially meaningful and ecologically sustainable contribution to the respectful handling of food.
Description
The non-profit organization Tischlein deck dich prevents food from being thrown away and dis-tributes it to people affected by poverty throughout Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein.
In Switzerland, large quantities of food are constantly lost on the way from the field to the plate. At the same time, around 700,000 people in this country live at or below the subsistence level. Tischlein deck dich is committed to helping those in need and correcting these imbalances.