Impact
December recap: turning reflection into continued action
As the year comes to a close, it’s a natural moment to pause. Not to slow down, but to take stock. Displacement, conflict, and uncertainty remain part of daily life for millions of people, and the question is not whether the needs persist, but how we respond effectively.
At People for People, we focus on turning concern into tangible action by connecting partners, expertise, and resources where they are most relevant. December was a month of reflection, learning, and continued engagement. Internationally, in the Netherlands, and across our partner network.
Below are some of this month’s highlights.
End-of-year exhibition: a shared moment of reflection
To mark the year’s close, we hosted a photo exhibition at the headquarters of our founding partners bunq and Picnic, and later also Bird. It showcased moments from 2025 and reflected the collective work carried out with partners, NGOs, and volunteers.
People for People was founded with a clear intention: to respond to humanitarian needs with speed, flexibility, and an entrepreneurial approach. In 2025, alongside more than 60 companies and hundreds of volunteers, this approach translated into practical support across multiple contexts.
The exhibition will travel to additional partner locations in the coming months: a shared moment of reflection and a reminder of what coordinated action can make possible.
We would like to thank our founders and partners for enabling this work: your engagement, expertise, and collaboration make it possible to turn urgency into action and bridge the gap between need and support.
Gaza & Sudan: targeted support through local partnerships
Support continued and expanded in Gaza and Sudan, guided by needs identified by trusted local partners.
Gaza
- Distribution of locally sourced vegetable baskets, supporting access to fresh food and local producers
- Psychosocial activities for children through art, sport, and play, alongside light meals
Sudan
- Distribution of tarpaulins to displaced families for immediate shelter
- Food baskets containing essential staples
These interventions are ongoing and depend on continued partner engagement.
People for People Days: local action through partnership
At COA locations in Biddinghuizen and Scheveningen, we hosted two People for People Days together with partners and volunteers, including one just before Christmas.
Sports activities and creative sessions were organised for children living at the locations, creating structured moments of movement, activity, and interaction. During a period that is often quieter within reception centres, these days offer a change in routine and a shared experience shaped by collaboration between local partners, volunteers, and staff.
The People for People Days reflect a core principle of our work: when needs are identified locally and partners step in together, even small-scale actions can meaningfully contribute to daily life at reception locations.
Care4Good volunteer day: rapid mobilisation when time matters
Our NGO partner Care4Good approached us with an urgent request for volunteer support to prepare an office building in Amsterdam New-West as temporary accommodation for approximately 300 Ukrainian refugees.
Within three weeks, volunteers cleaned, painted, and prepared the building. The project shows how rapid mobilisation, when aligned with a clear request, can support time-sensitive needs efficiently.
Winter support in the Netherlands: from surplus to support
As temperatures dropped, the need for winter items for children arriving in the Netherlands without caregivers increased.
Together with partners, we coordinated pick-ups and drop-offs of winter clothing and essential items to locations where needs were identified. For companies holding relevant overstock, these moments highlight how existing resources can be redirected quickly and meaningfully.
If your company has winter items available, please get in touch.
Knowledge sessions: sharing expertise across our network
This month’s knowledge session was hosted by Sarah Doherty, organisational psychologist at Picnic. The session focused on wellbeing at work and created space for exchange and discussion among partners.
Do you have a topic or expertise others could benefit from? Get in touch!
Volunteer Expertise Community Groups: skills that strengthen response
Alongside hands-on volunteer support in our warehouse, we are introducing Volunteer Expertise Community Groups. These groups were created to make better use of professional skills from our network, beyond operational support alone.
By bringing together volunteers with expertise in areas such as crisis response, communications, partnerships and operations, we can strengthen our work behind the scenes and respond more quickly and precisely to emerging needs.
The aim is simple: to apply private-sector knowledge where it adds the most value, and to turn available expertise into practical support.
Young Impact school takeover: learning through dialogue
Together with Young Impact, we joined a high school takeover to engage students in conversations about displacement and refuge.
Anwar, a young refugee and long-term collaborator, shared his perspective and answered questions, connecting classroom discussion with lived experience. Students wrote welcome cards for young refugees, turning learning into tangible action and fostering understanding through participation.
Team reflection: learning to act faster, smarter
Team moments: learning shaping our work
During our team day, we reviewed the goals set for 2025, assessed what was achieved, and explored lessons informing our work in 2026.
The day concluded with a visit to an exhibition at the Rijksmuseum, providing context on living conditions faced by refugees in the Netherlands and reinforcing why local engagement remains essential alongside international projects.
Collective reflection allows the team to align on priorities, strengthen collaboration, and ensure that insights from the past year are translated into more effective action.
Ending the year together
The year closed with an end-of-year dinner with our volunteers and team. Beyond sharing a meal, the evening created space to exchange experiences, acknowledge collective efforts, and look ahead to the year to come.
Ending the year together was a reminder that sustained humanitarian action relies on relationships, trust, and a shared willingness to stay engaged. Thank you.
Looking ahead: from urgency to collective action
Global displacement remains at historically high levels. Conflicts continue, climate-related disasters persist, and many people remain displaced both globally and locally.
For partners, this often raises a familiar question: what can we meaningfully do? Our role remains to help answer that question by identifying needs, working through trusted partners, and translating urgency into practical action.
In 2026, we will continue focusing on flexible responses, long-term partnerships, and responsible communication, ensuring that concern does not remain abstract, but becomes collective action.
Thank you for continuing to build these bridges with us.
