Cold temperatures How you can help homeless people in Bonn
Bonn · Night Temperatures can drop below freezing these days. Homeless people in particular suffer as a result. Here is how you can help them.
Winter has arrived in Bonn and the region: Temperatures drop to below freezing during the nights. Cold weather is particularly dangerous for the homeless. The city of Bonn therefore appeals to pay attention to people in need and to call for help in an emergency.
Information about homeless people in need of help can be obtained from the police around the clock and from the hotline of the City Ordnance Service on 0228/773333 Monday to Friday between 7 a.m. and 1 a.m., as well as on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays between 10 a.m. and 1 a.m.. The employees there can be contacted by e-mail at stadtordnungsdienst@bonn.de .
Refuge for the homeless
Homeless men in Bonn find refuge around the clock in the emergency overnightshelter in the Prelat-Schleich-Haus of the Caritas Association in Thomastraße 36. They have the possibility to stay overnight and to be fed there. Every day from 8 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., Caritas also offers all homeless people a day stay in the City-Station in the building. On frosty nights, the offer is also open at night.
Another shelter for homeless people is provided by the Association for Helping Those at Risk (VFG), which operates the emergency shelter 'Haus Sebastian', Sebastianstraße 131, for the city of Bonn. Here up to 80 women and men can be accommodated, who are not or no longer accepted in other facilities of the Bonn homeless assistance.
Admission to the house is only possible with an allocation. This is exhibited by the Amt für Soziales und Wohnen, Stadthaus, Berliner Platz 2, floor 3C, Mondays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. as well as Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.. Outside these hours, those in need can obtain a one-time allocation from the Bonn City Police and Ordnungsamt (GABI) at Maximilianstraße 32, Bonn's Joint Contact Point.
The VFG also offers a contact café where homeless and addicted people, primarily drug addicts, can warm up and exchange information. In addition, breakfast and a hot meal are offered.
CONTACT POINTS FOR THE HOMELESS
Prälat-Schleich-Haus
Homeless men find refuge around the clock in the emergency overnight shelter in the Prälat-Schleich-Haus, Thomastraße 36, 53111 Bonn, of the Caritasverband in the Thomastraße. It can be reached under the telephone number 0228/98532-0. There is also a day shelter in the City-Station (Tel. 0228/98532-242) in the same building, which is open from 8 am to 5.30 pm and also at night on frosty nights.
Sebastian House
The Verein für Gefährdetenhilfe (VFG), with the 'Sebastian House', Sebastianstraße 131, 53115 Bonn, offers another shelter for up to 80 homeless people. The accommodation can be attained by telephone under the number 0228/616402 or by mail to heidekorn@vfg-bonn.de
Café of the association for persons in trouble
Also the Café of the advisory board of the association for persons in trouble in the Quantiusstrasse 2 opened in such cold nights. These offers address themselves particularly to people, who reject a bed in public accommodation. There is information under the telephone number 0228/72591-15 or by Mail to schuette@vfg-bonn.de.
Donations
According to the VFG, donations in kind such as sleeping mats or sleeping bags are required again and again. The current requirement can be obtained by calling 0228/7259126.
The Caritas Association's help for homeless people is also happy to accept donations of sleeping mats and sleeping bags at the gate of the Prälat-Schleich-Haus.
Original text: GA Bonn
Translation: Mareike Graepel
