CHRISTMAS IN WÜRZBURG: Where Helping Becomes a Labour of Love

Donation campaigns in your region

When the Christmas lights come on in Würzburg and the old town smells of roasted almonds, another aspect comes particularly into focus: solidarity. Whilst many people buy gifts and plan family celebrations, social organisations face their most intensive time of the year. They support, provide for, strengthen and show: neighbourly love is not an abstract word, but an attitude deeply rooted in the region.

Today I'm introducing you to some of the most important organisations that are active around Christmas and need support. Don't worry: nobody has to help everywhere. Sometimes it's enough to choose just one project close to your heart and make a small contribution.

Förderverein Wärmestube: Christmas for the homeless

The Würzburg Wärmestube is not only a place where people in need can find food and a safe place, but also a point of contact for social support and human warmth. In the cold winter months, the work of the Wärmestube is particularly crucial: guests can shower there, wash and dry their laundry and access medical first aid.

Christmas project: Service & gift packages

The traditional Christmas service for homeless people will take place again in 2024/25. Once again at an outdoor location rooted in the life-world of the target group. In recent years this has been, for example, the car park or places in public spaces. The service is accompanied musically by the Laurentius musicians and shaped liturgically by Bishop Franz Jung.

Afterwards, all guests receive lovingly packed Christmas parcels filled with handmade crafts, sweets and snacks, practical items and useful things, both sweet and savoury.

How you can help

Donate directly to https://www.foerderverein-waermestube.de/unterstuetzung or online at https://www.caritas-wuerzburg.de/ich-will-helfen/spenden-stiften/onlinespende/. Voluntary engagement and donations in kind – after prior consultation, as storage space is limited – are also gratefully accepted. Contact: 0931 / 15023, Rüdigerstraße 2, 97070 Würzburg.

Just 20 euros can make a direct difference, for example for medical help, meals or Christmas gifts.

Caritas Würzburg: Christmas for single people

Caritas is a comprehensive provider of social assistance in the city and district of Würzburg, from care to counselling to services for refugees, families, children and older people.

Christmas celebration for single people

Traditionally, Christmas is centred on community and family. People who lack this connection are also pleased to have some community at this festival. That is why the Caritas Association for the City and District of Würzburg e.V. has been inviting people who are alone on Christmas Eve to a joint Christmas celebration for many years. This year too.

The celebration begins with a short Christmas service, during which Würzburg's auxiliary bishop Paul Reder will expound the Christmas message. Afterwards, guests can enjoy coffee, punch and pastries in a relaxed atmosphere. The programme is rounded off with musical accompaniment and communal singing of Christmas carols.

The celebration takes place in the Matthias-Ehrenfried-Haus (Bahnhofstr. 4-6, 97070 Würzburg; travel by public transport via the "Hauptbahnhof" tram stop). It begins at 14:00 and ends at approximately 16:00. Admission is from 13:30. Participation is only possible with registration. We therefore ask for registration by 13 December 2025 on telephone number 0931/38659-100.

How you can help

Donation account (for the Christmas celebration): Liga Würzburg, BIC: GENODEF1M05, IBAN: DE38 7509 0300 0003 0011 05, purpose: Christmas celebration for single people). Donations are used to finance small gifts for the celebration guests. In addition, voluntary helpers are sought for catering and conversations. Interested? Then contact Antonia Reuther on 0931 / 38659-125. Clothing donations are also always welcome at the Caritasladen .

Cyprus Cat Connection: Christmas miracles for street cats

Somewhat apart from classical social work, but equally important for many animal lovers, is the Cyprus Cat Connection. The association cares for around 50 street cats in Cyprus, organises feeding stations, medical care and adoptions.

Cyprus has one of Europe's largest street cat populations. Many animals are injured, sick or malnourished. Volunteers feed them daily and arrange treatment, vaccinations and neutering.

The 1-Euro Fur Friendship: Small gesture, big impact

A completely new donation model: just 1 euro per month – for a year. For the helpers, this means a predictable budget; for the cats, new opportunities. There are also traditional sponsorships or adoptions to Germany. You can find more information on Instagram: @cypruscatconnection.

Johanniter Christmas Truck: Help on wheels

The Johanniter Christmas Truck is one of the region's best-known relief campaigns. Every year, non-perishable food, hygiene items and small gifts are collected, packed into parcels and transported to various countries in south-eastern Europe to enable those in need to have a more dignified Christmas.

How the campaign works

The collection phase is open until 12 December 2025. You have various ways to get involved:

• Hand in aid parcels: The parcels are accepted at collection points throughout Germany .
• Pack together: Create the parcel as a family, with fellow students or with friends.
• Virtual parcel: With just a few clicks, you can pack a parcel conveniently online – completely stress-free!
• Donate and take action: With a monetary donation or your own fundraising campaign, you contribute directly to transport, packaging and logistical tasks.
• Get involved as a volunteer: Become part of the team, help directly and collect the parcels from the numerous collection points. 

Important: Please follow the packing list of the Johanniter Christmas Truck. This is the only way to rule out customs problems and ensure that each parcel reaches its destination equally.

Wue-Care: The wish tree

Wue-Care sets a sign of human compassion every year: at the wish tree, citizens can fulfil the Christmas wishes of women and children from women's shelters or similar facilities – often wishes worth 10–20 euros, such as warm socks, care products or small personal gifts.

All information: @wue_care. A touching campaign that shows: small gestures create great joy.

Bavarian Red Cross (BRK) Würzburg District Association: A new ambulance

Hardly any relief organisation is as present in Würzburg as the Bavarian Red Cross. 400 full-time staff and over 2,500 volunteers do incredible work every day: from youth work to psychiatric care to nursing, blood donation and disaster relief. But the ambulance service is an area where every additional support can become life-saving.

Christmas campaign 2025: A new ambulance for the ambulance service support unit

When emergency calls pile up, accidents happen simultaneously or a storm causes call-outs to explode, even a well-organised ambulance service reaches its limits. That's when the ambulance service support unit (UG-Rett) comes into play – a purely volunteer-staffed unit that deploys when all other vehicles are already in use.

The unit's current ambulance has around 290,000 kilometres behind it – impressive, but also a clear indication: it has reached the end of its service life.

An ambulance is expensive. Even a used one costs six-figure sums. To make it happen anyway, the BRK has launched a crowdfunding campaign with VR-Bank, where the bank doubles every donation.

How you can help

Donate directly at https://www.viele-schaffen-mehr.de/projekte/ug-rett or to IBAN DE33 6606 0000 0000 1377 49 (purpose: P32997 UG-Rett, account holder: VR Payment GmbH). The campaign runs until the end of January, so all donations must be received by this date. General donations are also possible: DE29 7905 0000 0000 0026 26 or via PayPal.

In addition, the BRK is always looking for volunteers and blood donors – two ways in which help can save lives.

Tafel Würzburg: Food for people in need

The Würzburg Tafel ensures that surplus but perfect food is not thrown away but distributed to people in need. Around 3,000 people in Würzburg and the surrounding area depend on this support, including many families. The need increases especially in winter.

Further information at: https://tafelwuerzburg.de.

Würzburg gives warmth

The Christmas season shows every year how solidary Würzburg is. Whether through monetary donations, voluntary engagement, packing a Johanniter Christmas Truck or fulfilling a senior's wish – every small gesture has a big impact.

Anyone who wants to help will find numerous opportunities in Würzburg. And every bit of support creates what Christmas is all about: warmth, hope and humanity.