Our support for those affected
Within days of the disaster, we contacted the authorities in La Chaux-de-Fonds and visited the town to assess the needs of those affected. Our Swiss relief team has been in constant contact with the town’s authorities ever since and in August 2023 released an initial sum of CHF 200,000 from our emergency fund for natural disasters in Switzerland. The fund enables us to react quickly to disasters and provide financial assistance to cover damages suffered by individuals due to severe weather events. Depending on the needs of those affected, allocated amounts can subsequently be increased.
How we help
When natural disasters hit Switzerland, Swiss Solidarity provides aid intended to supplement the assistance provided by the public authorities, fondssuisse and the insurance companies, which cover most of the damages. Consequently, the support request review committee for La Chaux-de-Fonds, made up of representatives of Swiss Solidarity, the town of La Chaux-de-Fonds, the Swiss Red Cross and fondssuisse, is the last participant in the process, which is currently underway and will continue over the coming months until the last of the quotes and invoices are issued. Once all the insurance claims have been settled, we will cover any costs private individuals are left with. We have already provided a number of individuals and associations with financial support and continue to evaluate requests in conjunction with the authorities in La Chaux-de-Fonds so that we can best tailor our aid to the remaining needs.