Sharing warmth

Berlin, December 4, 2025 – Winter nights in Berlin can be long and bitterly cold  – especially for those without a place to call home. The number of Berliners experiencing homelessness has been rising for years, putting growing pressure on the city’s emergency shelters as they struggle with limited space and stretched resources. To help relieve that burden, bett1.de, together with Berlin Partner, is donating 400 mattresses and more than 600 mattress toppers to several warming centers and the emergency family shelter in Heiligensee. The handover took place today, Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 11 a.m. at the Heiligensee family shelter in the Reinickendorf district. In attendance were representatives of Berlin Partner and bett1.de, State Secretary Michael Biel, Jana Stritzke, Head of Refugee and Homeless Assistance at EJF, and Jens Aldag from Berlin’s Kältehilfe (Cold Aid) coordination office.

This new donation follows a first delivery of 150 mattresses in fall 2024. That initial donation was part of the IMAGE CAMPAIGN BERLIN and featured in the FACES OF BERLIN content series. For this year’s donation, Berlin Partner coordinated the connection between bett1.de and the shelters, managed temporary storage, and is supporting distribution in the weeks ahead. Berlin Partner also facilitated engagement with political decision-makers  – because the issue of housing insecurity shows clearly how essential collaboration is between government, business, social organizations, and civil society. People affected by homelessness depend on safe sleeping spaces and the support of others – including commitments from the private sector such as donations – as well as on political action.

bett1.de, one of Germany’s leading online mattress brands, was founded in 2004. CEO Adam Szpyt describes the rise in homelessness as a challenge for society as a whole – one his company cannot ignore. As a member of the Berlin Partner network, bett1.de is setting a strong example of socially responsible entrepreneurship and demonstrating what this network stands for above all: solidarity and collaboration.