In 2015, Germany announced to the world their commitment to accept 1 million refugees seeking asylum, fleeing from conflict and war from the regions of Middle East, Asia, and Africa. With so many individuals and families coming in to the country with sometimes nothing more than the clothes on the backs and the little hands of their children, the need to support these new residents with adequate clothing and the basics was more than great. ZeSaBo began as a small movement within the community, gathering donations from the citizens of Bonn and nearby regions for gently used clothing, home goods, toys, and baby items. A huge influx of donations came in and kept coming in, which were all then sorted and distributed to organizations such as churches, Red Cross, and other smaller resource centers who serve individuals in need as they began their new lives in a new country.
In its inaugural year of 2016, ZeSaBo “registered more than 5,700 volunteer hours and served more than 200 families with 63,000 donated items.” By 2018, ZeSaBo assisted 15,000 people with 200,000 donated items thanks to the generosity of local donors, sponsors, and volunteers who logged in more than 17,000 hours of their time. After closing for one year, ZeSaBo reopened its doors in a larger warehouse which now can accept more donations and support a greater number of individuals as they work towards independence and healing in their new homeland.
On May 20, 2019, Rimini Street’s Team Germany proudly rolled up our sleeves and tackled boxes and boxes of children, women, and men’s clothing. We had ourselves quite the time and even snuck in a few fun photos with the donated goods! Thank you ZeSaBo for your partnership and we appreciate the opportunity to support your amazing organization!
