Detailed instructions on how you can help homeless people: with money, word or deed.
About 3-5 million homeless people live in Russia. Of these, in Moscow, only according to the official statistics of the city's social policy committee, about 13 thousand people. In St. Petersburg, according to the charity organization "Nochlezhka", there are about 60 thousand homeless people. And all these are not dry numbers, behind them are real people living on the street. Most of them ended up there not of their own free will, and there are many reasons for that: they cheated with an apartment, evicted their relatives, took their documents, got seriously ill … “Who? What? Where?" compiled a small instruction on how you can help homeless people.
What organizations help the homeless?
Walking down the street and seeing a homeless person, you can simply buy him tea or coffee, or something to eat. These expenses will not be burdensome for your budget, and simple human participation is important for any person. In addition, it is important to talk about shelters and foundations where you can spend the night, eat, receive medical assistance and restore documents. In Moscow, these are the Friends in the Street Foundation, Doctor Lisa's Fair Help, Salvation Hangar in St. Petersburg - the Nochlezhka charitable organization. By the way, in February the director of Nochlezhka, Grigory Sverdlin, said that soon a branch of the fund would open in Moscow as well.
I want to help, where to start?
Promotional video:
Help with information. Charitable organizations have the so-called “Homeless Guide” - it contains all the information about the places where you can get a hot meal, warm clothes and medical care, and spend the night. Here, for example, you can download and print such a guide to Moscow, here - to St. Petersburg. This is very important because homeless people often do not know where to go for help.
In addition, you can sign up as a volunteer in one of the funds and go and distribute food. In Moscow, a group of volunteers from the “If you’re not at home” network organizes such a platform on Three Stations Square every Thursday. There is also the Salvation Army day center and the Salvation Hangar tent. The Fair Aid Foundation for Dr. Lisa has a program called “Station on Wednesdays” - volunteers distribute hot food, sandwiches and hygiene products at the Paveletsky station. In St. Petersburg, there is a “Night Bus” daily in the evenings, delivering hot food, and volunteers are always required there. In addition, if you have a medical degree, you can also volunteer for the fund and provide first aid - there are few such volunteers and they are always very important.
Can I help with clothes?
Yes, and clothes, and hygiene products, and medicines. Homeless people always need clothes. In winter, warm clothes are especially needed: jackets, coats, warm socks, underwear. In the spring - off-season things. It is very good if you have clothes in large sizes - they are always in short supply. Often the foundations themselves publish lists of necessary things, you can either come to the fund and ask what exactly are needed, or look on the website or in groups on social networks. In Moscow, these are “Friends on the Street”, the “Shop of Joy” charity store, the “Charity shop” store, in St. Petersburg - the “Thank you” store, from which items are handed over to Nochlezhka wards every week. In addition to the shops themselves, special containers have been installed around the city, where you can put clothes, and volunteers will then take them from there. Besides,first aid medicines are always needed (homeless people often cannot buy themselves, for example, noshpu or paracetamol) and hygiene products: toothpaste, soap, shampoos.
How to help financially?
You can transfer any amount you can on the websites of foundations helping the homeless: “House of Friends”, “Nochlezhka”, “Fair Help of Doctor Lisa” or the portal “Takie Dela”. Each of these funds publishes an audit report on spending annually, and you will know for sure that all the money is directed to targeted assistance. If, for example, you are the owner of a cafe, restaurant or store, then you can help with hot meals by agreeing on its supply with funds. On the agreed day, experts of the fund will come to you, pick up food and feed the homeless people.