Cold aid for homeless people
30,000 euros were made available to the area of low-threshold and outreach emergency housing assistance and addiction support following the city council's decision on 15 December 2021. This will enable the services for homeless people to be expanded in the 2021/2022 winter season.
The Salvation Army's cold bus and a volunteer initiative by young people are the most extensive services on offer. This makes it possible to visit various locations in the city several days a week and hand out warm drinks, food and sleeping bags, so-called sheltersuits, to those in need. Low-threshold counselling and referrals to further help are also offered.
Furthermore, hot meals will be served to people in need every week from Monday to Friday until the end of March, for example in the housing project for homeless people run by Selbsthilfe 91 e. V. and at other locations run by the organisation.
With the additional funding, the addiction counselling centre of the Advent-Wohlfahrtswerk e. V. will also offer outreach counselling in the housing project for homeless people of Selbsthilfe 91 e. V. in order to offer people low-threshold help and support.
The "Haltestelle" day centre run by Stadtmission Chemnitz e. V. will extend its daily opening hours in additional premises on Reitbahnstraße due to the weather.
Answers to frequently asked questions:
How can you help directly?
Do you know of any places in the city of Chemnitz where people are staying who should take advantage of the Kältebuss service? Please contact the Kältebus team on 0157 52 84 69 85 or leave a message on the answering machine.
What can you do if you notice an apparently homeless person in a public space?
Approach the person and ask if and what help they need. This could be a drink, something to eat or a snack for the dog.
Let the public authority number 115 or the social welfare office (0371 488 5515) know where you found the person or where he/she is usually staying and how he/she can be reached. The authority staff will then try to establish contact and offer support options.
If the person is in an obvious emergency situation, e.g. is no longer responsive, you should immediately inform the emergency medical service 112 in the interests of first aid.