Soccorso d'inverno Ticino, the Ticino branch of Swiss Winter Relief, has supported families and individuals across the canton facing temporary financial hardship or an emergency since 1936.
The organisation grew out of a grassroots solidarity movement founded during the economic crisis of the 1930s, and works independently throughout Ticino. Its help is practical and easy to access: shopping vouchers, clothing, school supplies, payment of urgent bills such as medical or dental costs, and support with unexpected expenses that a household living close to the poverty line cannot absorb. Alongside material assistance, the association funds participation in social life, for instance by allowing a child to attend a sports or music course and avoid exclusion.
Poverty in Ticino is real but often invisible, and it does not follow the seasons. It affects working families, people living alone, and pensioners who struggle to reach the end of the month and are not fully covered by public support. The state recognises the subsidiary role played by Soccorso d'inverno, and the assistance it provides comes almost entirely from private donations.
A memorial gift to Soccorso d'inverno Ticino stays entirely within the canton and supports people living close to home.
Soccorso d'inverno holds the ZEWO seal of approval, the Swiss quality label for charitable organisations, which audits its accounts every year.