Beloved Foundation: seventy requests received (cross-border guide)

Context

In a nutshell

• Beloved Foundation has received about 70 requests from fire victims
• Has CHF 24 million from Valais, Vaud and private donors
• Offers psychological, financial and rehabilitation support

Key facts

• What: Foundation established to assist victims of the Crans-Montana fire
• When: 27 March (institution), 41 dead and 115 injured (New Year)
• Where: Crans-Montana, Le Constellation bar (Canton of Valais)
• Who: Christian Cardon (director), Doris Leuthard (president)
• Amount: CHF 24 million from Valais, Vaud, municipality and private donors
• Status: 70 requests received, no refusals so far

The Beloved Foundation, established on 27 March at the initiative of the Canton of Valais, has so far received about seventy requests for assistance from the victims of the fire at the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana on New Year's Eve, which caused 41 deaths and 115 injuries. Director Christian Cardon, interviewed by Le Matin Dimanche, specifies that "for the moment there has been no rejection": some questions have already been approved, others remain under evaluation.

Several tens of thousands of francs have already been disbursed, Cardon reports. The foundation has a total endowment of 24 million francs, the result of donations and pledges from the Valais Canton, the Vaud Canton, the Municipality of Crans-Montana and private donors.

Integrated support to victims and families

The scope of intervention of the foundation is wide: yes

Operational details

The coordination strategy and long-term needs

The foundation's operational model reflects an awareness of the complexity that accompanies a health and social emergency of this magnitude. LAV already guarantees a minimum level of assistance to victims of crime, but the case of Crans-Montana has highlighted how needs go far beyond standard services. The Beloved Foundation thus positions itself as a compensation tool, activating specific resources for situations that would otherwise remain uncovered.

This approach also takes into account the particular nature of the tragedy: the psychological and physical effects of the fire are not resolved in a few months. Many of the injured (115 according to the fire's balance sheet) face long rehabilitations, surgical interventions, physiotherapy. Costs not directly covered by the public health system (LAMal) or disability benefits can become burdensome for families, especially in areas with a high cost of living such as Valais. This is where the foundation steps in with targeted financial aid.

Search for additional funding and future challenges

The search for additional funds beyond the already available 24 million is a clear signal that Leuthard and Cardon do not underestimate future challenges. As Leuthard declares: "Even if the financial endowment is substantial, in the face of the psychological and physical consequences of the tragedy, we will need additional resources to carry out our action over several years." The needs, in fact, "will evolve and persist in the long term."

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Key points

How to submit a request to the foundation

The access system to the Beloved Foundation is designed to be inclusive, but it still requires a formal presentation of the application. Although the source does not specify all procedural details, it is clear that the foundation evaluates each request on a case-by-case basis. Christian Cardon has emphasized that so far no request has been rejected, a sign of the constructive approach of the entity.

Victims and their families who wish to access the support of the foundation should:

1. Identify the area of need: psychological support, financial aid, professional retraining (for young people), personal projects 2. Document the economic or psychophysical situation relevant to the request 3. Submit the application directly to the Beloved Foundation (contacts available at the Canton of Valais, the Municipality of Crans-Montana or through institutional channels) 4. Wait for the evaluation: Director Cardon has confirmed that some requests are approved immediately, others remain in a more in-depth analysis phase

The foundation coordinates its work with other public entities, primarily those managing LAV benefits. If a victim is entitled to compensation or subsidies already provided by federal law, the foundation will not duplicate these benefits but will intervene with additional resources where necessary. This approach ensures efficient use of available funds and the widest possible coverage.

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