The streets are festively illuminated, it smells of gingerbread and mulled wine, and the cash registers of retailers are running hot. This can only mean one thing: Christmas is around the corner. Not only in stores, but also in online business, it's high season and people are buying bags full of gifts that will soon find their place under the Christmas tree. Companies also give chocolate and other creative presents to shareholders, board members, and employees.

But isn't there a more meaningful alternative? In the spirit of "donations instead of gifts," we present six charitable organizations with great donation purposes that can easily and conveniently collect donations with the online donation tool from Payrexx.

The Sikypark – the Swiss Animal Rescue Park

The Swiss Animal Rescue Park in Crémines rescues native and exotic animals in need and gives them a home. The park is home to 550 animals from 74 species, including big cats, parrots, wolves, and water buffalo. Over 90% of the animals in Sikypark come from animal rescues, confiscations, and surrenders, distinguishing the animal park from other zoos.

To provide the animals with a dignified final phase of life and the appropriate living conditions, Sikypark relies on support through donations, animal sponsorships, or a visit to the park. There, visitors can get to know the animals with sometimes moving pasts up close and learn more about their stories. The animals play an important role in education and awareness-raising, as ambassadors of their kind and fellow sufferers.

You can support Sikypark with your donation here: Donate

Sikypark collects donations for animals in need.

NetzCourage – against digital violence

NetzCourage is a donation-funded counseling center that offers victims of digital violence free legal and psychosocial advice and support. The team at NetzCourage fights for a dignified mutual interaction in the digital space by providing education and supporting hundreds of affected people each year through the #NetzAmbulanz project—from managing social media profiles to settlement or legal proceedings.

Victims of digital violence are cared for around the clock, free of charge, regardless of their social status, beliefs, or backgrounds. The organization also focuses on prevention and organizes awareness workshops in schools, organizations, and companies.

You can find the online donation form from NetzCourage here: Donate

Lebenshof TierMensch

Lebenshof TierMensch offers animals a humane living space. Among the farm animals are those that nobody wanted anymore, that were neglected, or that would have been slaughtered. Many come from factory farming or were instrumentalized for human use. At Lebenshof TierMensch, they no longer have to experience this but are respected and appreciated as individuals.

Supporters can help the association with food donations, care vouchers, or animal sponsorships. Especially in winter, large amounts of straw are needed to make all lying areas warm and cozy, as well as large amounts of hay, because there is not enough grass on the pastures, and the animals need to be supplemented with hay.

On the website, you will find all donation options: Donate

On Lebenshof TierMensch, animals that nobody wanted anymore find a home.

there for you – the digital donation platform for climate, animals, and people

there for you is a digital donation platform committed to a more sustainable, fairer, and better world, supporting projects and organizations with similar goals. Projects in the areas of climate protection, animal welfare, children's aid, and humanitarian aid can be found on the platform, between which donors are free to choose. there for you aims to make it as easy as possible for supporters to engage.

In the Christmas season, there for you is launching a Christmas campaign for the second time. Unique items can be auctioned and other items can be purchased at a fixed price. This year, a race ski by Marco Odermatt or a signed book by Martin Suter, among others, will be auctioned. The proceeds go to the currently 30 active projects on the donation platform.

The donation projects and the Christmas campaign can be found here: Donate

There are currently 30 different donation projects on the there for you donation platform.

The Animal Welfare Foundation TBB

The Animal Welfare Foundation TBB Switzerland is dedicated to preserving and promoting the interests of animals and animal welfare. The main task is to protect all animals from suffering, inadequate husbandry, and abuse. The foundation pursues various national and regional animal welfare and educational projects, focusing on child and youth animal protection. It operates a contact point for missing and found animals and collaborates with the Swiss Animal Registration Center STMZ in this regard. Up to 250 reports of inadequate conditions are received annually at the Animal Welfare Advisory Center, and all reports are followed up on.

At the Birs animal shelter, abandoned, injured, neglected, and confiscated animals are cared for and looked after for 365 days a year. To ensure the diverse animal welfare work, the foundation relies on donations, sponsorships, and patronages, which also make meaningful Christmas gifts for humans and animals.

You can find the donation form here: Donate

The Animal Welfare Foundation TBB is committed to protecting animals from inadequate husbandry and abuse.

EMAUA – Reforestation in Kenya

EMAUA is a Swiss-Kenyan project aimed at planting one million native trees in the tropics annually by 2025. The goal is to create a scalable model for reforestation with native and diverse trees in inhabited regions of the tropics, which simultaneously improves the living standards of local communities.

The matured plants are distributed free of charge to rural communities, and farmers are trained on the importance of native trees. Incentives are also created to promote the best survival rates of the trees, such as building improved stoves that reduce families' firewood consumption by 66%. From December to January, EMAUA runs a crowdfunding campaign to garner new funds to support the project.

Learn more about the digital donation campaign here: Donate

EMAUA plants native and diverse trees in Kenya.

Do you want to start your own donation project? With the practical and intuitive donation form from Payrexx, you can receive your first donations within a few minutes.