“Emmaus is a politically and religiously non-aligned international movement, whose mission is to help those in need and thus promote social justice and peace.”
Emmaus Helsinki was founded in 1966 as a part of the international Emmaus movement. Today, the group runs two flea markets for donated goods and is involved in development co-operation. Our main partner among Emmaus groups is Cuna Nazareth in Peru. Emmaus Helsinki has a long-term commitment to help a day care centre in Cuna Nazareth, Peru. With three other Finnish members of Emmaus International, we are also supporting Cuna Nazareth in running a recycling centre in Lima to train young unemployed boys and girls to become recycling professionals and, in the long run, to make Cuna Nazareth more self-supporting. We also donated money to the Swallows of Finland’s Sahara Nepal and Sri Lanka projects, and support Emmaus International’s solidarity actions.
Emmaus Helsinki is an active member of the Poland-Ukraine Collective of Emmaus Europe and we continue to support the Ukrainian Emmaus groups Oselya and Nasha Khata. In Estonia we support Katikoti, a home for mentally handicapped persons.
In Finland we support various organisations working with the homeless, undocumented persons and women immigrants. We are also engaged in social employment providing work opportunities to various underprivileged groups. In 2017 we started a Cooperative which employs mobile people, particularly Roma from Eastern Europe, in cleaning, gardening and other similar tasks.
Emmaus Helsinki is an active member of Finnish Development NGOs – Fingo.
Summary of Activities 2023
Solidarity work
- we donated 26% of our sales income to international and domestic solidarity work, totalling €86,215
- the major recipients were the Drom organisation, supporting the human rights of the Roma in Bulgaria, sufferers of the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Katikoti home for the mentally handicapped in Estonia and the Cooperative Work and Hope employing immigrants in Finland
- we donated 1800 packages of goods (about 18,000 kg) locally and to the eastern European Emmaus communities
- we also handed out €530 in gift cards to spend in Emmaus shops.
Responsibility towards society and the environment
- we received donated goods which we recycled as ethically and ecologically as possible
- environmental savings from our stores in 2023: 1 058 000 kg of solid natural resources and 194 000 kg of carbon dioxide
- we maintained awareness of recycling with Emmaus Lauttasaari’s recycling happening on Lauttasaari Day
- our seamstress and volunteers repaired clothes and textiles
- the Sewing Club produced new items from old
- we worked together with milieu agents of a primary school
- we participated in the carbon neutral Lauttasaari project.
Community
During the year 112 volunteers did 14,000 hours of voluntary work, or 269 hours per week, and employment activities involved 28 persons:
- two full-time and two part-time salaried workers
- five summer workers
- three workers on subsidised pay
- four people on work experience
- one who has performed community service
- 11 trainees.
Cooperation
- solidarity projects in particular with Swallows of Finland and the Deaconess Foundation
- cooperation with other local operators such as schools and institutes, parishes and small enterprises
- circular economy cooperation with the Second Hand Market Cooperative, the circular economy network RENET and the Lauttasaari Association.
We extend our thanks to all Emmaus workers, our donors and our customers!
Flea markets
Our flea markets in Helsinki are situated in Vallila, in Lauttasaari and in SHM Store, Kalasatama.
Vallila
Address: Mäkelänkatu 54, Helsinki
t. 045 13 88 673
emmaus.vallila at gmail.com
Lauttasaari
Address: Heikkiläntie 2, Helsinki
t. 045 23 60 001
emmaus.lauttasaari at gmail.com
SHM Store
Address: Shopping Mall Redi, Hermannin rantatie 5, 3rd floor, Helsinki
Open hours
| Vallila | Lauttasaari | SHM Store | |
| Mon | closed | closed | 10-20 |
| Tue | 11-19 | 11-17 | 10-20 |
| Wed | 11-17 | 11-17 | 10-20 |
| Thu | 11-17 | 11-17 | 10-20 |
| Fri | 11-17 | 11-17 | 10-20 |
| Sat | 11-15 | 11-15 | 10-18 |
| Sun | closed | closed | 12-18 |
Welcome!
You can donate goods or money and volunteer to help us. Every week about 40 volunteers take part in the work. For more information, phone 045 13 88 673.