When Give Something Back to Berlin started, it was an activist initiative powered by passion, creativity, and the simple will to “just do it.” We were a small team testing limits, pushing borders, and building spaces filled with care - for each other, for our participants, and for the city. That spirit remains at our core. But over time, the organisation has evolved: from a grassroots project into a community organisation with a clear vision and mission, a team of 12 (none of whom work full-time), and over 18,000 participants each year.
Our structure remains non-hierarchical, and our approach is still deeply personal. Yet the times - and the needs of our community - have changed. Berlin and Germany are different places today than when we started. What began in a more open and welcoming environment now calls for more care, calm, and stability. In response, we’ve grown to meet those needs, focusing on volunteer and participant care, strengthening existing projects, and professionalising our team. 
Through all these changes, one thing has remained constant: the cultivation of spaces and networks that allow everyone in our community to participate, connect, and positively impact one another’s lives.
Our old name reflected our beginnings as a volunteer-driven initiative. But as we matured, we became something broader - a place to connect, create, and belong. The phrase “Give Something Back to Berlin” carried our history, but it also implied an expectation, that one must give something back, or that there’s a hierarchy between those who give and those who receive. That’s not who we are today. We welcome everyone as they are, with nothing expected in return.
The new name, Hejmo, comes from the community itself. When we asked participants what this space meant to them, one word came up repeatedly: home. For us, Hejmo captures what so many have told us they’ve found here: a feeling of home in Berlin. It’s the warmth of shared meals, the spark of conversation, the friendships that grow across borders. It’s the idea that everyone can create their own version of home - their own Hejmo - in this city.
The photos are from our Community Talk “Welcome, Hejmo!”.