a city map with the text "new facility for homeless people"Our German member Diakonie Michaleshoven is opening an additional facility in Oberbergischer region to shelter homeless people from the cold weather during the winter months of the year.

The employees of the housing establishment ask the general public to look around for the people on the streets who move around with backpacks and sleeping mats and who sleep at the entrances of buildings and if they see any to refer them to the newly opened facility. They also ask that people call them to inform them of homeless people rough sleeping around the city so the staff can keep track of all people in need of shelter and try to help each of them on a case-by-case basis.

The COVID pandemic has made life especially hard for homeless people since the lockdowns have significantly reduced the possibilities for collecting money through begging or through glass bottle recycling. Unlike during the springtime lockdowns, during the winter offering food or other types of assistance to people without shelter cannot take place outside due to the low temperatures which makes the mission of the staff even more difficult.

For more information on this initiative, please visit our member’s website.