With the arrival of November and the temperatures starting to drop more and more, Berlin has once again welcomed a supportive service offered by employees and volunteers. They are the Kältebusthe “anti-cold buses” and they mean offer assistance and shelter to the homeless of the German capital.
The initiative lies with the organization Berliner Stadtmission and is activated year after year from November 1st to March 31st prevent deaths from frostbite.
In the most intense period of cold, the team of Kältebus he travels around the Berlin neighborhoods in search of homeless people who need help, also stopping at the main subway stations.
Hot drinks, blankets and sleeping bags are distributed. Often there are volunteer doctors or medical students on board who can carry out medical checks. If requested, i Kältebus they also give a lift, taking those in need to a safe place to spend the night.
The service has been operating in Berlin for 30 years now, ever since a homeless man froze to death in 1994. The story inspired this activity, helping many people in difficulty since then.
Here’s what we read: The Kältehilfe der Berliner Stadtmission started on 1. November!
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Posted by Berliner Stadtmission on Friday, November 1, 2024
Every evening, from 8.00 pm to 2.00 am, the buses are ready to intervene as well as on Thursdays from 7.00 pm to 10.00 pm. There is a number that citizens can contact to voluntarily report cases. Simply dial 030690333690 and mark the case as green or red, where red indicates urgency.
The reports are providential even if, according to the Berliner Stadtmissionsometimes it would be enough to simply ask the homeless what they need. “They rarely meet other people who turn to them and ask how they are” comment volunteers Karla and Jens.
The operators stop at nothing and, when emergencies require it, they stay beyond the scheduled times. The mission is to help others before it’s too late.
The Kältebus are a reality not only in Berlin, but also in other cities in Germany, together with many other promoted actions. In Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, for example, heat-insulating cabins have been installed to ensure a warm place for the homeless.
